Here is My Flock What Are Your Thoughts

[mimipeaches]

9 of my pullets are 6 months and 5 days my 10th pullets is 8 months old she is a black sumatra. Cockerels are 8 months as well. No one has started laying yet.

Pullets
Ruby (RIR)
Ester and Willow (EE)
Buffy (BO)
Sam (Black Sumatra)
Aunika (Welsummer)
Lacie (BA)
Alice (Cuckoo Maran)
Easter (New Hampshire Red)
Blue (BA)
Cockerels
Pat (Partridge Cochin)
Dave (White Cochin)
Speckels (Speckled Sussex)
Rocky (Barred Rock)

 

[aart]

Nice mix...too many males IMO.

Pullets and cockerels.
FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is always a good thing to note.

Looks like good space.
Where in this world are you located?
Climate is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi there!

First thought... beautiful birds.

Second thought too many cockerels for the amount of ladies.

Third thought... maturing during winter makes for later laying as the hormone that triggers it is light sensitive. Some of them are starting to redden up in their combs and should start laying before to long. But the ones who are still light pink will likely be a month or so more. With daylight hours increasing, hopefully that will bring you some eggs sooner than not.

Fourth thought... keep an eye open for hidden nest... or accidental egg eaters.

 

[mimipeaches]

Hi there!

First thought... beautiful birds.

Second thought too many cockerels for the amount of ladies.

Third thought... maturing during winter makes for later laying as the hormone that triggers it is light sensitive. Some of them are starting to redden up in their combs and should start laying before to long. But the ones who are still light pink will likely be a month or so more. With daylight hours increasing, hopefully that will bring you some eggs sooner than not.

Fourth thought... keep an eye open for hidden nest... or accidental egg eaters.

I will! Thank you! We hatched our 1st bunch and that is why I have so many cockerels I can't get rid of them because I love them too much but we are hoping to hatch some new chicks in the spring and cross breed our chickens we will find our favorite rooster that we hatch to re breed and then we will proceed to eat him. NO MORE COCKERELS for us!!!! Just for food and breeding uses!

 

[Mrs. K]

A very valid point about maturing in the winter... slowing egg laying.

Another thought I have is: are the pullets getting enough to eat. In most of the pictures, the roosters are on the ground, and the pullets are perched. I am wondering in order to avoid being harassed by the roosters, if your hens are on the roost too much, and not getting enough to eat? How much do they weigh? Feathers can hide a lot of sins. Roosters often hope to get "lucky" near the feed source, and your pullets might be avoiding that.

While I understand loving your cockerels, you have way too many for this flock. If you really need to keep them, make a separate quarters for them. And pull them all until your pullets start to lay. Older roosters generally will leave pullets alone, younger roosters are not so gentlemen like. They can really harass your birds, although your birds do not look harassed to me, it is something to be aware of.

Mrs K

 

[mimipeaches]

A very valid point about maturing in the winter... slowing egg laying.

Another thought I have is: are the pullets getting enough to eat. In most of the pictures, the roosters are on the ground, and the pullets are perched. I am wondering in order to avoid being harassed by the roosters, if your hens are on the roost too much, and not getting enough to eat? How much do they weigh? Feathers can hide a lot of sins. Roosters often hope to get "lucky" near the feed source, and your pullets might be avoiding that.

While I understand loving your cockerels, you have way too many for this flock. If you really need to keep them, make a separate quarters for them. And pull them all until your pullets start to lay. Older roosters generally will leave pullets alone, younger roosters are not so gentlemen like. They can really harass your birds, although your birds do not look harassed to me, it is something to be aware of.

Mrs K

Since most of them grew up together they are only 2 months apart the pullets know how to avoid my cockerels I make sure that they get plenty of food and water if I need to some days I let my cockerels out and let my pullets eat and drink. Most of the time I also give my pullets meal worms and other treats more than I give the cockerels just in case they don't eat enough! We do plan on having 2 flocks soon as well, once we have enough pullets that of an ok size so probably in the summer we will start that. Our cockerels are also up high plenty they were just down because I had put out more treats as you saw with them all around that black tub. The pullets got some once the cockerels were done eating I think that it is because of the pecking order. A few of my pullets would rush in take some food and run away because they couldn't wait to eat it! Sorry I know this is long but I also hope that it was helpful!

 

[Mrs. K]

Truthfully I do not see any tension in that flock, no signs of abuse, and with that many roosters, I can hardly believe it.

When the days get longer, they will start laying.

 

[Abriana]

What a lovely and beautiful flock!