bkint
In the Brooder
I have 10 chickens. I believe I have 5 rooster’s and 5 hens. (not a great ratio at all I know) 1 is a runt i refused to let die. He’s smaller than everyone and has a deformed foot. One claw is splayed in a weird angle. He hobbles a bit but gets around fine and can roost. The 2 largest roosters are mellow. Their combs arnt fully grown yet but they have long tail feathers and they used to crow. 1 also dosnt have its comb fully grown and i havnt heard it crow yet but it looks like a rooster based off of tail feathers, also mellow. The final rooster is the meanest. He’s bigger than the runt but smaller then the 2 larger roosters. His comb is large and came in very early. All the chickens are the same age and none of my hens have laid an egg yet i got them early may 2022.
The mean rooster picks on just about everyone it seems. Only recently have i noticed that my chickens avoid this mean rooster it seems. On hot days they will stay in coop while the mean one parades the outside area (approx. 128sq ft) The 2 larger ones used to crow, maybe it was just one of them (hard to tell because they are basically identical) They all gather on the highest perch at night and sleep together even the mean one. They seem to get along only when its bedtime, otherwise they avoid the mean one.
I planned on letting a brooding hen sit on eggs and hatch as many as possible hoping to get my hen/rooster ratio corrected.
My question is should i be concerned about this mean roosters behavior? No ones been bloodied. One of the large roosters had a cracked/bloody beak but i think it was just a growth spurt because it seemed to heal up in a few days. Worst thing ive seen is a clump of approx. 5feathers which im assuming the mean rooster ripped out of someone. I’ve been picking this mean rooster up at times when he tests me. Bit me a few times drew blood but i just walk toward him dont show fear and pick him up and pet him. Do i need to cull this rooster? Is the pecking order just still being established? Has anyone had this problem before?. The coop itself is 64sq ft. and about 6ft tall. with multiple areas the chickens can enter/exit to get to outside enclosure. Let me know if you need more info/ thanks for your time i really appreciate it .
The mean rooster picks on just about everyone it seems. Only recently have i noticed that my chickens avoid this mean rooster it seems. On hot days they will stay in coop while the mean one parades the outside area (approx. 128sq ft) The 2 larger ones used to crow, maybe it was just one of them (hard to tell because they are basically identical) They all gather on the highest perch at night and sleep together even the mean one. They seem to get along only when its bedtime, otherwise they avoid the mean one.
I planned on letting a brooding hen sit on eggs and hatch as many as possible hoping to get my hen/rooster ratio corrected.
My question is should i be concerned about this mean roosters behavior? No ones been bloodied. One of the large roosters had a cracked/bloody beak but i think it was just a growth spurt because it seemed to heal up in a few days. Worst thing ive seen is a clump of approx. 5feathers which im assuming the mean rooster ripped out of someone. I’ve been picking this mean rooster up at times when he tests me. Bit me a few times drew blood but i just walk toward him dont show fear and pick him up and pet him. Do i need to cull this rooster? Is the pecking order just still being established? Has anyone had this problem before?. The coop itself is 64sq ft. and about 6ft tall. with multiple areas the chickens can enter/exit to get to outside enclosure. Let me know if you need more info/ thanks for your time i really appreciate it .