Hector's World: Adventures and Mayhem at Mountain View Poultry (or Sequel to The Evolution of Atlas

[getaclue]

Just dab a little on his beak, and wait a minute. I'd do it a couple times a day.

 

[speckledhen]

Hector is much better today. He's perkier and eating off the ground, albeit, gingerly. Ripping off that top layer of beak is like ripping off an entire fingernail for us. Ouch! And yes, he is a complete dunderhead, but he's actually pretty sweet most of the time now that he's matured some. And golly, he is so darn handsome!

 

[speckledhen]

I made a pen switcheroo today and I hope it works out. I moved Hector into Georgie's larger pen with his five hens (Jane and Maddie are trying it out for the day, but their other pen is still set up in case they have to go back for the night). And I moved Georgie's 7-hen group into Hector's pen. It made more sense for 6 birds that included a rooster who is twice the size of one of those older hens to be in a pen that is basically 8x9 than in a 5x8 pen. And the nests are lower in Hector's old pen as well for those mostly non-laying hens. Plus, Hector would stand on those nests and fight with Atlas in the barn aisle so this way, he really can't do that any longer.

That older hens' group may be missing a member or two soon since they are so old and Neela seems to be more frail than usual so they'll have more room in that pen.
There is no window in that middle pen where Hector is now, but it has a window in the pen to each side of it. He couldn't see out of his much anyway from their roost location.
Here is the way it looks now. I have to add a second latch to that pen with Hector now so he cannot bump it open when we're in there cleaning and go get into a fight.

 

[getaclue]

Yes, that switch makes perfect sense. Yes, get the latch so that silly rooster doesn't get anymore injuries. Mine are silly like that too. They'll do fine for awhile, then I'll start finding a spur or two, where they've jumped, and hit the wire mesh. Crazy roosters!

 

[speckledhen]

I have to tell on Hector today. He was running at Jane and Maddie when they were in the inside pen. He leaves them pretty much alone when they're outside, but when they are in the pen with him inside, he's not so nice. I thought I saw him mate Jane the other day. Well, I didn't see it, but I caught her walking away from him, shaking off like they do afterward. I hope he will chill when they are squatting for him and won't be mean to them like he was with MaryJo. He better not be. I have not much use for a rooster who attacks hens and who won't take any new ones at all. I got two beautiful girls from him out of Jill and if he doesn't shape up and start being nice to them, he might be shipping out. They are 18 weeks old today.

 

[speckledhen]

I tried to get a few shots of Maddie and Jane, but my camera was acting up. I got only one that wasn't too badly blurred, this one of Jane.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They are maturing, such pretty girls.

 

[speckledhen]

More Jane and Maddie pictures, plus pics of their mother, Jill. Maddie looks so much like her, I'm going to have a hard time telling them apart!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They should be laying soon? How early do yours generally start?

 

[speckledhen]

They should be laying soon? How early do yours generally start?

I can't remember when Thea and Jill and Mary (RIP) started, but thinking late in the 20-weeks range. Jane is already squatting for Hector and you can see she is looking really mature so may be another month.