Hi, Ginger from the Rio Grande Valley, Texas

[gingerjar]

Hi all, this is Ginger in Texas. When I was a child, my grandparents raised chicken's. Well, they had them in the yard and we would go throw corn out to them. It was fun looking for their nests where they would lay their eggs. As an adult my ex and I raised LOTS of different birds: Ostrich, Emu, Rhea, Pheasant, quail, partridge, chickens, a peafowl (one try), a Parrot, some type of sparrow, and cockatiels. He was the bird expert, I am not.

My new husband and I recently decided to raise some chickens. We built a coup and bought a mixed assortment of chicks from a backyard "breeder" in Brownsville. We have 6 pullets that are coming along nicely. We also started with 11 chicks. We are now down to 7 chicks, due to predators. My hubby is out working on a more secure fence as I type. All has went pretty well except we have one pretty ornery Rooster "Blackie", who goes around pecking any of the rest of the flock near him! He hasn't learned to crow yet, but he does do the puff the chest up and strut thing.

Discovered this site looking for "cures" for a chick with a swollen eye, most likely due to above referenced rooster (my hubby is threating him with becoming a pot pie if he doesn't quit picking on the other's). I am finding it ever interesting reading about other peoples "flock" experiences! Who would have ever thought a Harley riding Granny would became "mom" to a flock of chicks?

 

[BayBay Peepers]

Welcome to BYC!

Congratulations on your new flock. Very sorry to hear about your losses. Good luck with that rooster

 

[gingerjar]

Thank you Bay Bay

 

[petrel]

Welcome to BYC! Thanks for joining. Hope you get your predator and rooster issues ironed out soon. You have come to the right place for all things chicken.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

Sorry for your losses. But this is the place to be for all the learning on protecting your flock and keeping them healthy.

Make yourself at home and if you have any questions, feel free to ask. Welcome to our flock!

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

Sorry for your losses!

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Sorry for your losses, good luck with the rest of the flock! Annoying roosters do make good soup!

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you decided to join our flock. Sorry you are having problems with a rooster. I've replied to a number of members' posts this week who are having problems with roosters. In many cases the problem has been too many roosters to hens. The recommended ratio of roosters to hens is 1 rooster for every 10 hens. Any more roosters than that can quickly lead to aggression, fights, feather plucking, and over-bred and battered hens. In other cases, it's simply been a case of an aggressive rooster (not uncommon with roosters). When you really get down to it, the only reason you really need a rooster is to fertilize eggs for hatching. I currently have 25 hens, no roosters, and I get loads of eggs without feeding any non-egg laying mouths, without the aggression, fights, crowing in the middle of the night, and over-bred and battered hens that frequently goes along with having roosters (especially too many of them). I wouldn't wait long to turn Blackie into pot pie. You don't want to risk him seriously injuring anyone (putting our an eye, etc.), and you certainly don't want him breeding that kind of aggression into the rest of your flock. Good luck with your chickens.

 

[gander007]

 

[drumstick diva]

If you don't need a rooster for fertile eggs to hatch, there isn't any reason to keep one, especially if he is a royal pain. Usually the hens seem happier when the rooster checks out.