@homeschoolin momma
I love your new little coop.
I think your biting boy was probably just fear. You could try "taming" your lav roo so he gets used to being picked up. I don't hold & cuddle my roosters, but out of necessity I must pick them up each night to put them into the garage & then reverse commute to bring them out in the morning. They go nuts when 1st picked up & then stop squirming. (if they try to squirm or flap, they have to stay in my hands a little longer until they're calm.) After 1-2 months of being picked up & carried 2xs a daily, they realize that it's not all that terrible. By the time they're 1 year old, anyone can just bend down & scoop them up from anywhere in the yard.
As far as the hen-bullying, many boys go through a not-so-nice phase. He's pretty young so the older hens will probably fight back and put him in his place. (or perhaps a mature rooster) You had a very high rooster ratio, so I doubt the boys were able to learn any manners in all the chaos.
Worse case, if the boy doesn't get better as he matures, you won't want to breed aggression. You can always have one of mine. Mr Nice Guy, Mr Potential, & the little 10 wk old (likely male) are competing for the privilege of breeding next year. 1-2 of those sweet boys will need to go. Whenever I've given away a rooster, the new owners quickly fall in love with the gentle, calm, docile, nature.
I love your new little coop.
I think your biting boy was probably just fear. You could try "taming" your lav roo so he gets used to being picked up. I don't hold & cuddle my roosters, but out of necessity I must pick them up each night to put them into the garage & then reverse commute to bring them out in the morning. They go nuts when 1st picked up & then stop squirming. (if they try to squirm or flap, they have to stay in my hands a little longer until they're calm.) After 1-2 months of being picked up & carried 2xs a daily, they realize that it's not all that terrible. By the time they're 1 year old, anyone can just bend down & scoop them up from anywhere in the yard.
As far as the hen-bullying, many boys go through a not-so-nice phase. He's pretty young so the older hens will probably fight back and put him in his place. (or perhaps a mature rooster) You had a very high rooster ratio, so I doubt the boys were able to learn any manners in all the chaos.
Worse case, if the boy doesn't get better as he matures, you won't want to breed aggression. You can always have one of mine. Mr Nice Guy, Mr Potential, & the little 10 wk old (likely male) are competing for the privilege of breeding next year. 1-2 of those sweet boys will need to go. Whenever I've given away a rooster, the new owners quickly fall in love with the gentle, calm, docile, nature.
) Delicious!!!
Thank God they are pullets, I would have trouble getting them for harvest
A little later the white one popped up. He went to collect seramas back inside at dusk. Jasmine was still hiding on the front porch behind the pillar. She then took off running and DS of course chased her to try to grab her. Well, she then took to flight straight into the woods. She is brown. I looked for a long time when I got home. I know shes alive, but dont like her out in the cold.
Im hoping she come back at dawn.
