hens acting like roosters? (molesting other hens?)

[cybrchick]

We have 7 birds. 2 americaunas which are molested often as well as bullied, 3 rir, 2 deleware. 1 del and 1 rir are roos. Obvious by their struts, combs, feathering, and of course crowing. My family thinks the other 2 rir are roos but they have smaller combs, less flamboyant feathering, and dont crow. They are all around 20 weeks.

Anytime the americaunas are handled, or the flock runs bc of the dog or we approach and they spook - the roos molest the americaunas. Back and forth. Its kind of sad to see her ganged up on until she can fly away. Well tonight one of the hens jumped on board too and acted like a roo. Biting the neck, on the back. Husband insists she is a roo. I'm think its just dominating behavior. Why would she (or he??) do that?

 

[Percheron chick]

Gang mentality. RIR can be mean girls. They also mature faster than the EE so they're bigger and braver. I'd get rid of the roos. 5 girls for 2 roosters spells trouble.

 

[cybrchick]

We plan to. Just havent had time yet. We have 3 others that are younger so kept separate and 2 of those are roos too! We have never butchered so we gotta get some help first.

Interestingly, we got our first egg yesterday (another today). Both are blue. Didnt expect eggs from the americaunas so quickly and cant figure out if the reds are laying and if so, where. We keep them in the run til about 3, then they can come out to free range. But no other eggs. Hmm....

 

[cybrchick]

Oh and we tried to separate the americaunas last night. We got our chicken tractor done (more of a moveable coop bc they will still free range) and put the 3 younger ones in there. We moved the amers over as well since it would be a new environment for all. This am hubby found 1 amer on one roost, 3 birds on the other roost, and the other amer huddled under the step/ramp into the box. And when we opened the pen to let them out this am (the youngers free range all day), the amers ran back to their old pen.So we figured they preferred the old. I dont know. So thats where they are now. They also tend to want to roost high - like on top of their coop or run. Like 8' up! Lol!

 

[Percheron chick]

Why don't you put the roosters in the old coop by themselves? That should calm things down. You could also put the EEs in with the younger birds.

That's cool you got a blue egg. My most recent laying EE is giving me a boring pale brown egg.