How would you prepare to receive a 4 moth old after 48 hours shipping?

[AllenK RGV]

This is so very true.
Sad that you didn't recover him but I think you have come to a wise decision to hold off on getting another for now.

To be honest we have absolutely no plans for additional chicken now after this experience. No aspirational breeding plans, no additional chicks plans. Those roosts can stay at 50% occupancy.

 

[rebrascora]

Well, developing a little immunity to "Chicken Maths" is not a bad thing and having space in the coop and on the roost is infinitely better than being overcrowded.... which can happen all too quickly when you start breeding cute little chicks.

I hope this experience has not soured your "chickeneering" experience. Cockerels can be difficult and it is not generally a good idea to try to imprint them in my experience. There are a few that cope with the idea of being handled and petted but those that do can sometimes turn aggressive. I do not handle my cockerels unless it is necessary and then they are lifted off the roost at night. It is better that they have a little fear and a healthy amount of respect. I hear what you were saying though about him thrashing against the back of his small transport cage every time you went to change feed etc. and a larger pen with cover for him to "hide" in might have been better for a few weeks until he had settled in.

Maybe a better way might be if one of your girls goes broody, to get her some hatching eggs and let her raise chicks within the flock. Then keep a cockerel and hopefully the older ladies will teach him how to be a good flock leader without any intervention from you. Roosters reared in this way are usually better mentally adjusted.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Well, developing a little immunity to "Chicken Maths" is not a bad thing and having space in the coop and on the roost is infinitely better than being overcrowded.... which can happen all too quickly when you start breeding cute little chicks.

I hope this experience has not soured your "chickeneering" experience. Cockerels can be difficult and it is not generally a good idea to try to imprint them in my experience. There are a few that cope with the idea of being handled and petted but those that do can sometimes turn aggressive. I do not handle my cockerels unless it is necessary and then they are lifted off the roost at night. It is better that they have a little fear and a healthy amount of respect. I hear what you were saying though about him thrashing against the back of his small transport cage every time you went to change feed etc. and a larger pen with cover for him to "hide" in might have been better for a few weeks until he had settled in.

Maybe a better way might be if one of your girls goes broody, to get her some hatching eggs and let her raise chicks within the flock. Then keep a cockerel and hopefully the older ladies will teach him how to be a good flock leader without any intervention from you. Roosters reared in this way are usually better mentally adjusted.

I do expect broodies as that is one of my breeds charachteristics. But to behonest the 5 hens I have make enough chicken noises to keep us happy.We missed our first batch of roos when they were gone, and the girls are talking so much now! It is really so hard to understand how city ordinances distinguish between the two. The gals easily make as much noise as a crowing roo. Thank you for your words of advise.

 

[aart]

The gals easily make as much noise as a crowing roo.

That's for sure!
But males are more likely to make noise during times when people want to sleep,
and if they were allowed multiple males could really be a noise nuisance. That's why cockerel slaughter happens here soon after crowing begins.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Yes I fail to understand why the roos I had didn't crow all night long, my neighbors have roos that are always crowing. They never stop I hear them at 3am-5AM. I do have a single light fixture which is around 4 13w CFL light bulbs, so probably 200w equivalent. Still mine would crow in daytime but not at night.

I am sure keeping your chicken well lit= roosters crowing 24 hours per day.

Edit----If only there was a way to keep one neighbors dog from barking all night that would be great!

 

[WVduckchick]

@aart I honestly do not believe this bird would have ever imprinted on us. He was so skittish and never imprinted on humans to begin with. It is why I believed the best course of action was to place him with the flock. Every time I would redo his food/water he would flog himself into the back corner of the dog crate. I refuse to feel guilty about failing here. I know that wasn't your intent "to make me feel guilty" and am most certainly not leveling blame your way I just feel in my heart he was never going to work out.

Edit--- Also it is so heartbreaking to see a chicken in chicken prison, I'll stick to hatching them out or raising day olds as that seems to be my current skill set!

Oh man!! What a bummer.

Yep, we live and learn. I had a similar experience with some ducks. At least we learned some things along the way.....