How Urgent is Egg-Laying?

[Bawkbok]

That's exactly how I feel! I'm learning by trial by error, with heavy emphasis on "error". I'm just so thankful for this forum and all the folks willing to help with their advice.

We also jumped into the deep end of the pool without doing much research. It's how I learn a new effort best - just do it and learn as you go. I didn't find this forum until I was a year into the adventure. I saved my pennies, so to speak, tightened in the belt even more and bought a bigger coop. You obviously love and care for them and their well being and that is going to propel you forward. The chickens don't know any better. The disadvantage with not having a bigger space for all of them to roost together is that, well, they don't get to roost together. At least they can all see each other and they are safe. Keep your eyes and ears open for storage sheds on sale, which can be modified to serve as chicken coops. Check out the chicken coop thread on this site for inspiration and ideas.

 

[angc11]

Just wondering, do you only have a flock of 2 cockerels and 1 pullet? If yes, how old are they and how did you end up with that ratio of 2 males to 1 female?

 

[KWestVA]

Just wondering, do you only have a flock of 2 cockerels and 1 pullet? If yes, how old are they and how did you end up with that ratio of 2 males to 1 female?

Yes.

This was kind of a rescue situation: some neighbors had fertilized eggs they were going to throw away because they had the maximum number of backyard chickens allowed in our town, so I took them on a whim, bought an incubator that did all the work, and had zero expectation of any success - until four of the eggs actually hatched (one chick passed away the first week). By the time the "chicks" were identifiable as M/F, I was already attached.

I realize this violates the natural order, but I've read some articles about roosters coexisting peacefully, so I'm taking it one day at a time. Things started to get tense at the end of their brooder period, but once I got the free-range and cage routine set up, it settled down. I have to yell at the boys every couple of days for giving Blondie unwanted attention, but she is able to take care of herself outside because she is the better flier (being smaller); additionally, the cockerels foil each other by defending her against each other.

My 15-year-old dog Ginger is also a member of the flock.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Lol. When my first Sheltie, Gracie, was still alive, I probably had zero fertilized eggs because she took it upon herself to "protect" the hens from the aberrant attentions of the rooster. Dogs are funny people and silly flockmates.

 

[angc11]

Yes.

This was kind of a rescue situation: some neighbors had fertilized eggs they were going to throw away because they had the maximum number of backyard chickens allowed in our town, so I took them on a whim, bought an incubator that did all the work, and had zero expectation of any success - until four of the eggs actually hatched (one chick passed away the first week). By the time the "chicks" were identifiable as M/F, I was already attached.

I realize this violates the natural order, but I've read some articles about roosters coexisting peacefully, so I'm taking it one day at a time. Things started to get tense at the end of their brooder period, but once I got the free-range and cage routine set up, it settled down. I have to yell at the boys every couple of days for giving Blondie unwanted attention, but she is able to take care of herself outside because she is the better flier (being smaller); additionally, the cockerels foil each other by defending her against each other.

My 15-year-old dog Ginger is also a member of the flock.

Hey if it works for you that's great. Plenty of people have non ideal ratios and do well. Are these your first chickens? How old are the chickens? I know your pullet is of laying age, but it's really the cockerels I am asking about. Cockerel behaviors can change based on their hormones, especially in a range from 6 months to a year. Raising cockerels for the first time without adult birds is challenging (I am speaking from experience). At least in my experience, they are more likely to misbehave because no adult bird is there to correct their behaviors. Think Lord of the Flies but chickens. I would just recommend observing your cockerels as they hit the 6 month old mark and beyond. Read about rooster behaviors and understand how they communicate with you and each other. also make sure they aren't overmating your pullet (she'll start to have missing feathers on her back where they mount her). This is one of my favorite articles on the subject of understanding rooster behaviors. This one is great as well if either of them start to show signs of aggression toward you.

 

[KWestVA]

Hey if it works for you that's great. Plenty of people have non ideal ratios and do well. Are these your first chickens? How old are the chickens? I know your pullet is of laying age, but it's really the cockerels I am asking about. Cockerel behaviors can change based on their hormones, especially in a range from 6 months to a year. Raising cockerels for the first time without adult birds is challenging (I am speaking from experience). At least in my experience, they are more likely to misbehave because no adult bird is there to correct their behaviors. Think Lord of the Flies but chickens. I would just recommend observing your cockerels as they hit the 6 month old mark and beyond. Read about rooster behaviors and understand how they communicate with you and each other. also make sure they aren't overmating your pullet (she'll start to have missing feathers on her back where they mount her). This is one of my favorite articles on the subject of understanding rooster behaviors. This one is great as well if either of them start to show signs of aggression toward you.

Thank you for the recommendations! Yes, these are my first chickens, and they are all 8 months old - all hatchmates. I try to discourage mounting when possible, but I have learned that chickens are more challenging to train than dogs.

My cockerel Nelms is very docile. Nightwing on the other hand - who used to be a momma's boy - is now Sir Bitesalot. From what I've read, mistakenly coddling him as a chick may've led him to think he is dominant. Surprisingly, implementing the cages seems to have reduced some of his aggressiveness. He still exhibits challenging behavior towards me, but I no longer need the greaves I made to protect my shins when around him. He is not aggressive towards anyone else.

 

[angc11]

Thank you for the recommendations! Yes, these are my first chickens, and they are all 8 months old - all hatchmates. I try to discourage mounting when possible, but I have learned that chickens are more challenging to train than dogs.

My cockerel Nelms is very docile. Nightwing on the other hand - who used to be a momma's boy - is now Sir Bitesalot. From what I've read, mistakenly coddling him as a chick may've led him to think he is dominant. Surprisingly, implementing the cages seems to have reduced some of his aggressiveness. He still exhibits challenging behavior towards me, but I no longer need the greaves I made to protect my shins when around him. He is not aggressive towards anyone else.

Sorry to keep giving you advice you didn't ask for, but I really would not recommend stopping the cockerels from mounting. That's what roosters do to each other. The dominant rooster typically does not allow subordinate roosters to mate in his presence and knocks them off of hens as the subordinate is trying to mount. This may work if you can consistently keep your spot as "top rooster" but cockerels tend to challenge the top rooster at the worst times which can mean sneak attacks when you aren't looking. I've seen this play out with my own roosters. Dominant roo does not allow subordinate roo to mate in his presence. Most of the time subordinate roo accepts dominant roo as top rooster and does not challenge. However, on occasion subordinate roo sneaks up and attacks dominant roo when he's not looking and they fight it out. I think this kind of interaction can happen with roo on human when humans take too much of a role within the flock and accidentally become the "dominant rooster".

In my opinion, the only ways to address cockerels over-mating a hen is removing the cockerels or getting the cockerels more hens.

 

[KWestVA]

Sorry to keep giving you advice you didn't ask for, but I really would not recommend stopping the cockerels from mounting. That's what roosters do to each other. The dominant rooster typically does not allow subordinate roosters to mate in his presence and knocks them off of hens as the subordinate is trying to mount. This may work if you can consistently keep your spot as "top rooster" but cockerels tend to challenge the top rooster at the worst times which can mean sneak attacks when you aren't looking. I've seen this play out with my own roosters. Dominant roo does not allow subordinate roo to mate in his presence. Most of the time subordinate roo accepts dominant roo as top rooster and does not challenge. However, on occasion subordinate roo sneaks up and attacks dominant roo when he's not looking and they fight it out. I think this kind of interaction can happen with roo on human when humans take too much of a role within the flock and accidentally become the "dominant rooster".

In my opinion, the only ways to address cockerels over-mating a hen is removing the cockerels or getting the cockerels more hens.

I am always looking for advice!

Seriously, on account of the chickens, I haven't left my house for weeks except to take Ginger (dog) to the vet; she has conjunctive heart failure and degenerative myelopathy. I got the quote today to rebuild my back porch so I can use it for housing the chickens, and let's just say that the stock markets need to rebound before that - and adding to my small flock - will be feasible. Nevertheless, I try to implement as many best practices as I can in the meantime!