How reliable a gender indicator is redness of peacomb in Easter Eggers?

[ariri30]

Yes, there is a chance of that. Just like hens have a pecking order, so do roosters. Some roosters will sort it all out with bluffing and ruffled feathers.

Be aware, comb injuries bleed badly. So if you find a scary amount of blood one day, don't panic. Look at the combs, and you may find a tiny little peck-mark. If that's all it is, they're fine.



Depends on the roosters. Game roosters (aka fighting cocks) are known for killing each other. Any other kind of rooster has a very high chance of getting along with other roosters, depending on how much space and how many hens there are. If you have lots of space, they may just choose to stay out-of-sight of each other.



Yes, although I can't see why you'd want two separate flocks that each have two hens.



You could just put one in and watch what happens (be ready to remove if there's a problem.)

You could let them all out to free range together, and watch what happens (that way they meet in a neutral space, not someone's home coop.)

You could put them in adjoining coops, with wire fencing in between so they can get acquainted gradually (look don't touch method)

You could put the cockerel in a wire cage inside the pen with the older hens (variation of the above).



That is also an option.

Obviously, you've got lots of choices!
I personally would try to make a single flock of all six birds, because I prefer to have fewer separate groups, and because it seems that chickens naturally do live in groups larger than two or three. But that's just my thought, and I really don't know what will work best for YOU and for YOUR birds. It might be that the older hens are content the way things are, and may not want change

 

[bayareapilot]

I have an update that just occurred this morning. It was morning and the automatic door opened up, I heard a noise from one of the chicks at first I thought someone was hurt (remember I've only had hens before). Then I saw Sandy standing on the ramp, making the same sound, and I realized it was an attempt at a crow. Now I was holding out the Ray of Hope that Sandy was Sandy female and not Sandy male. The feathers hadn't looked as pointy as Norman who is my confirmed Cockerel, so I was briefly encouraged until today.

Although I have read that pullets will occasionally attempt to Crow like a cockerel - I am now unfortunately thinking and I would simply be holding onto a thread of Hope at that point and that in fact, I now have two cockerels and two pullets.

Okay folks, any ideas? Is there a snowball's chance in hell that the two cockerels we'll get along? Or when they mature will they hurt each other? Something I don't want obviously.

Also any chance that it could be a pullet trying to Crow? I'm really thinking not but you know at this point one gets illogically hopeful.

I got a couple of thoughts that I thought I'd bounce off the group. One, I was wondering if I could put one of the roosters or cockerels, in with my two 10 year old adult hens which are in a separate flock. If that was something to do when would I do it? Would it be better to wait till they get a little bigger cuz right now the rooster are the Cockerel is smaller than my adult hens. The second question if I follow this first approach, would I be better inserting him into the roosting area in the dark I'll let the adult hands meet him in the morning when they all woke up together? Or would doing the latter just be a bad idea, all around..

The second thought I had would be to remove both cockrells and put them in a separate pen with their own coop?

Folks I'm open to suggestions and encouragement

I don't know if this is case of self-delusion oh, but I was watching a number of YouTube videos where pullets making the same sound I heard Sandy make today. It didn't sound like a cockadoodledoo, I don't know again it's one of those things I'll just wait and see how all this works out eventually if she lays an egg I've got that solved or if she doesn't I've got that solved

 

[Mylied]

Sandy is definitely a male. Sorry. :-/

 

[bayareapilot]

Sandy is definitely a male. Sorry. :-/

very likely is but as a good friend told me he said just wait around 6 months or so if he lays an egg it's a she if they don't it's a he.

the other part that made me feel a little better as I was going back in some of the BYC archives and looking at some of the gUESSes for male or female and experts got it wrong just as often as they got it right.

Besides around 6 to 8 months it should sort out the hens and the roosters.

I'm just not going to sweat it I'll just wait until things reveal themselves to be what they are, and I'll have a better idea how to sort things out BY THEN

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

I've had a few roosters that surprised me. Late bloomers or one I was in denial about. I'm sure there are plenty of cases where people got it wrong but Sandy is not one of those. You'll come to see that with some time. Right now try looking closely at his tail and saddle feathers. Only roosters get this type.

There is nothing wrong with keeping 2 roosters. As long as the get along together and are gentle with their hens. Which they probably will.

 

[bayareapilot]

I've had a few roosters that surprised me. Late bloomers or one I was in denial about. I'm sure there are plenty of cases where people got it wrong but Sandy is not one of those. You'll come to see that with some time. Right now try looking closely at his tail and saddle feathers. Only roosters get this type.

There is nothing wrong with keeping 2 roosters. As long as the get along together and are gentle with their hens. Which they probably will.

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I have set up a seperate run area for my two (likely) cockerels and installed a new prefab chicken coop. Basically the area of their open run has a privacy fence so that they can't see the hens and pullets on the other side of the garden. They'll have lots of 'free range' compared to my hens and pullets - part of the reason I elected to do that is so that the two (eventual) roosters will have enough room to stay and play apart (if they need to) - just trying to improve the chances that they will get along when they mature.

Here's a question for you and anyone else out there. Likely tomorrow, late afternoon/early evening, I will place the cockerels into their new habitat (I figure the sooner the better while they are still relatively young - just a little over 3 months). My plan is to put them in the new coop (has an automatic door) - but I'll have the coop closed up when I put them in there. I figure if they can stay in their overnight and see that they have food and water there, they'll more quickly make peace with the new location.

Here's the question: Any tips on 'catching' them with minimum stress to the codkerels? I figure I can wait until they are both outside the enclosed coop and then temporarily close the automatic door with the pullets inside the enclose coop. Then 'catch' each cockerel one by one. In the past when needing to pitck up hens I've always held them in a way that prevents them from flapping their wings - less chance they'll hurt themselves. But I'm open to any ideas/tricks to make the 'move' easier for the cockerels?

 

[aart]

But I'm open to any ideas/tricks to make the 'move' easier for the cockerels?

Do it after dark...they are much easier to 'catch' off the roost then

 

[NatJ]

Here's the question: Any tips on 'catching' them with minimum stress to the cockerels? I figure I can wait until they are both outside the enclosed coop and then temporarily close the automatic door with the pullets inside the enclose coop. Then 'catch' each cockerel one by one. In the past when needing to pitck up hens I've always held them in a way that prevents them from flapping their wings - less chance they'll hurt themselves. But I'm open to any ideas/tricks to make the 'move' easier for the cockerels?

I would do it one of two ways--pretty much the way you described, or after dark as aart suggested.

You mentioned closing the pullets into the coop, then catching the cockerels in the run--depending on which place is easier for you to work in, you could close the cockerels into the coop and catch them there. I usually try to slowly herd a chicken into a corner of the coop or run, then grab fast, so they don't spend much time actually running. (I assume less running = less stress.)

 

[Mylied]

If I have to catch during the day and they are one of my more wild chickens, I use a long handled net. Otherwise, off the roost at night is easiest and less stressful for everyone.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

This has been answered but I'll pipe up anyways. Catch them after dark on their roosts. Put them into a dog crate or something if you're not quite ready to move them to more.

Sounds like a good set up for them. They'll be very happy in it.