Homesteaders

[Talithahorse]

Where I am to grow grass I simply put in a garden and tell the grass to stay out. Before I know it the grass has taken over... I am such a lousy gardener.

 

[shortgrass]

Where I am to grow grass I simply put in a garden and tell the grass to stay out.  Before I know it the grass has taken over...   I am such a lousy gardener.

Lol so what happens if you try to keep a garden OUT of your grass? The opposite?!

You could grow a pasture in your garden and a garden in your lawn

 

[Loc20chick]

Where I am to grow grass I simply put in a garden and tell the grass to stay out. Before I know it the grass has taken over... I am such a lousy gardener.

 

[rancher hicks]

Lol so what happens if you try to keep a garden OUT of your grass? The opposite?!

You could grow a pasture in your garden and a garden in your lawn

Tha'ts the way my chciekns are. I think I should put the garden in the chickens runs. I need to find a way to confuse them about where I DON'T want them to go.

 

[Talithahorse]

Lol so what happens if you try to keep a garden OUT of your grass? The opposite?!

You could grow a pasture in your garden and a garden in your lawn

I suppose I will have to try that next year! My grass is so gregarius that even the chickens can't beat it back. I have to mow the horse paddock AND the chicken yard. Someday I will win against the grass..... someday I will win and I will say "REMEMBER THE ALAMO!!!!!!"

 

[henless]

I think I may have a problem with one of my cockerels. I have 7 English Orps, blue & splash. When the 2 cockerels started harassing the pullets, I put them in with my older hens, who taught them some manners. A couple months later, I had to separate the two due to the smaller one beating up on the larger one. Peace reigned. When my pullets stared laying, about 3 weeks ago, I put the larger cockerel (Tom-Tom since he is as big as a turkey) in with the pullets. The smaller cockerel is still with the older hens.

I've noticed for the last couple of weeks that any time I would come up to the coop, Tom would get between me and the pullets. When I would go in the coop, he would walk away. Anytime he didn't walk away, I would walk into him to make him move out of my way. He is a big chicken, probably pushing 8-9 lbs. He is almost 6 months old now, and still has a lot of growing to do. He is not as developed as the smaller cockerel, and still clutsy.

Last night around dusk, I went out to shut the gate and check the mail. I heard my young Cream Legbars making noise, so went to check on them. As I walked up to the coops, I passed the Orp coop first. All 6 were on the roost. I paused to look at them, and Tom jumped down off the top roost and ran up to the fence and tried to peck me through the wire. Well, I opened the door and went inside. He walked off and I went to check the feed bucket. When I turned my back to him, he made a run at me. I turned around and slapped him silly with the mail I had in my hand. That scared the crap out of him and he hollered like a little girl. I gave him a piece of my mind as I walked him all over the coop.

I haven't had a problem with the other cockerel. When I go in the coop, he goes out in the run. When I go in the run, he goes to the other end or else in the coop. He is prettier, but Tom hasn't finished developing yet. I was giving them both time to grown until I decided which one to keep.

Is this just hormones, or do I have a potential problem going on here? I'm leaning toward a problem, so thought I'd post here and get everyone's thoughts.

 

[boskelli1571]

I think I may have a problem with one of my cockerels. I have 7 English Orps, blue & splash. When the 2 cockerels started harassing the pullets, I put them in with my older hens, who taught them some manners. A couple months later, I had to separate the two due to the smaller one beating up on the larger one. Peace reigned. When my pullets stared laying, about 3 weeks ago, I put the larger cockerel (Tom-Tom since he is as big as a turkey) in with the pullets. The smaller cockerel is still with the older hens.

I've noticed for the last couple of weeks that any time I would come up to the coop, Tom would get between me and the pullets. When I would go in the coop, he would walk away. Anytime he didn't walk away, I would walk into him to make him move out of my way. He is a big chicken, probably pushing 8-9 lbs. He is almost 6 months old now, and still has a lot of growing to do. He is not as developed as the smaller cockerel, and still clutsy.

Last night around dusk, I went out to shut the gate and check the mail. I heard my young Cream Legbars making noise, so went to check on them. As I walked up to the coops, I passed the Orp coop first. All 6 were on the roost. I paused to look at them, and Tom jumped down off the top roost and ran up to the fence and tried to peck me through the wire. Well, I opened the door and went inside. He walked off and I went to check the feed bucket. When I turned my back to him, he made a run at me. I turned around and slapped him silly with the mail I had in my hand. That scared the crap out of him and he hollered like a little girl. I gave him a piece of my mind as I walked him all over the coop.

I haven't had a problem with the other cockerel. When I go in the coop, he goes out in the run. When I go in the run, he goes to the other end or else in the coop. He is prettier, but Tom hasn't finished developing yet. I was giving them both time to grown until I decided which one to keep.

Is this just hormones, or do I have a potential problem going on here? I'm leaning toward a problem, so thought I'd post here and get everyone's thoughts.

It sounds like Tom Tom is a potential problem for you. The second cockerel seems to realize who's the boss. I had to dispatch a feisty cockerel recently. He would peck at my hand, rush me and was ugly to the other birds. Keep an eye open, he may be destined for the pot...

 

[rancher hicks]

I think I may have a problem with one of my cockerels. I have 7 English Orps, blue & splash. When the 2 cockerels started harassing the pullets, I put them in with my older hens, who taught them some manners. A couple months later, I had to separate the two due to the smaller one beating up on the larger one. Peace reigned. When my pullets stared laying, about 3 weeks ago, I put the larger cockerel (Tom-Tom since he is as big as a turkey) in with the pullets. The smaller cockerel is still with the older hens.

I've noticed for the last couple of weeks that any time I would come up to the coop, Tom would get between me and the pullets. When I would go in the coop, he would walk away. Anytime he didn't walk away, I would walk into him to make him move out of my way. He is a big chicken, probably pushing 8-9 lbs. He is almost 6 months old now, and still has a lot of growing to do. He is not as developed as the smaller cockerel, and still clutsy.

Last night around dusk, I went out to shut the gate and check the mail. I heard my young Cream Legbars making noise, so went to check on them. As I walked up to the coops, I passed the Orp coop first. All 6 were on the roost. I paused to look at them, and Tom jumped down off the top roost and ran up to the fence and tried to peck me through the wire. Well, I opened the door and went inside. He walked off and I went to check the feed bucket. When I turned my back to him, he made a run at me. I turned around and slapped him silly with the mail I had in my hand. That scared the crap out of him and he hollered like a little girl. I gave him a piece of my mind as I walked him all over the coop.

I haven't had a problem with the other cockerel. When I go in the coop, he goes out in the run. When I go in the run, he goes to the other end or else in the coop. He is prettier, but Tom hasn't finished developing yet. I was giving them both time to grown until I decided which one to keep.

Is this just hormones, or do I have a potential problem going on here? I'm leaning toward a problem, so thought I'd post here and get everyone's thoughts.

I reckon if you search the thread for problem roos you'll find lots.

Me? I've had a couple. A BR who never seemed to learn so I carried a stick sometimes and eventually knocked him completely out. I don't recall if that worked or not and he eventually got sick and died. I was broken hearted at he was a good size.

Another I gave away to folks who knew full well he was not a nice guy. His next gen brother is looking bad but hasn't attacked me so far. The father was just fine though. Never gave me a lick of trouble. Except he just up and died one day. Just fine twenty minutes before and next thing dead. Who knows why. So now I'm using his son and hoping to hatch more before anything happens to him. I've learned to keep TWO roosters of a breed. Sometimes three if they're good.

Generally my roosters will go at each other through the poultry wire and I think a couple have lost toe nails due to it.

So do some research here and see what others have experienced.

Take care and I wish you well,
Rancher

 

[Loc20chick]

I bought 2 brother roosters & one didn't want to share the ladies so it killed the brother, I kept it till I got offsprings from it since at the time it was the only rooster I had. Waiting to see later in Spring which of his offsprings to keep.

I have this beautiful BA given free by someone who had too many, he is 8 months

And this one is 5 month RIR/buff brahma mix,

He seems to have lost his long tail feathers.

 

[henless]

Wanted to update my cockerel problem. It seems after the mail episode, he now leaves the coop every time I walk in. Sometimes he comes back in before I want him to, so I walk toward him and make him go back out. He still gives me the stink eye, and acts pretty brave when I'm on the outside of the coop, but once I walk in, he's gone.

So now it's a wait and see kinda thing. Hopefully he's just young, but I'll keep an eye on him.