Illinois...

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

I sell the day old chicks cheaper and price goes up as they age. A confirmed female is about 2x the price of a day old unsexed chick. It covers the cost of the unsold males. If someone ends up with a male chick and can't legally own a rooster, I'm happy to take it back. I rehome roosters to BYC friends if they're very good. (Sometimes these roosters do tricks or are so sweet because of the love they received ..... on top good breeding stock. I just can't process such wonderful boys! They get to stick around until I find a placement.) If they have cockerel 'attitude' I'll rehome to a farm with a bachelor pen to grow out or process them myself.

You would so be processing my rooster. He ran across my yard after my wife. She just stood and screamed. He went after her sister(she kicked him). But then I picked him up and he was calm. He was moody today. I put him in time out for a bit.
Its funny he acts like hes pecking grass and waits till they aren't looking.
I have stuff to separate him for a bit. Old Henrietta is almost healed up ready to rejoin the flock

The other hens were also pecking at her but mostly from Coop(roo).

 

[Faraday40]

Hi! Is there room for a new Illinois flock here? I'm in Tinley Park and have 7 (hopefully) pullets feathering out nicely and about to move outside in a few weeks. Would love to learn from you all especially when winter next comes. -- Aimée

There's always room and plenty to learn. I'm just a little N of you in DuPage Co. There are many of us in the Chicago suburbs.

What kind(s) of chickens do you have?

 

[Faraday40]

Out of 14 eggs one was clear but the other 13 made it to lockdown. I set up a motion detector camera so hopefully we will get a video.

Can't wait to see some of your hatch!

 

[Faraday40]

You would so be processing my rooster. He ran across my yard after my wife. She just stood and screamed. He went after her sister(she kicked him). But then I picked him up and he was calm. He was moody today. I put him in time out for a bit.
Its funny he acts like hes pecking grass and waits till they aren't looking.
I have stuff to separate him for a bit. Old Henrietta is almost healed up ready to rejoin the flock
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The other hens were also pecking at her but mostly from Coop(roo).

Seriously, backyard chicken soup is a favorite. Poor little hen.

The 'time out' may help your roo gain some manners. I've done that with some aggressive, bully hens. I put them in the garage for a couple days so when they return they are knocked down in pecking order a bit.

Our 1st roo was very sweet toward people but crowed a lot and mated the hens bald. He went to a farm where they wouldn't mind his constant crowing..... we cried. Our second roo was quieter but his temperament was unpredictable. Around 8 months old, he would randomly attack the pooper scooper. Sometimes he was fine, other times aggressive. The kids were afraid of him and he seemed to sense it. My 4 yr old had to walk around with a stick. I was constantly locking the roo up every time the kids went out to play and decided having a rooster wasn't worth it at that time. I worked with the kids and taught them that chickens are just birds and to be confident - never run away or they'll chase. If they're acting 'cocky' just pick them up and they'll calm down. (Hard for a rooster to act tough if you're holding him and treating him like a baby.) The next roos we got were a dream team. I found 2 roos were actually easier than 1. They kept each other in check and taught the future generations to respect the hens. Some people try to bully a rooster into submitting or try to make sure the rooster knows you're at the top of the pecking order.

I don't want our roos to fear us or challenge us, so humans are simply not part of the pecking order. We're the bringers of food, opener of coop, and may even hand out treats- all good things. Every night & morning, we carry the boys to/from the garage, so they're used to being held and don't fuss. (Squirming = longer time being held until calm) Because of this, just about anyone can simply bend down and scoop up one of our roosters. They don't enjoy being held but they tolerate it.

 

[SnootyHen]

There's always room and plenty to learn. I'm just a little N of you in DuPage Co. There are many of us in the Chicago suburbs.

What kind(s) of chickens do you have?

We have a white leghorn, welsummer, mystic maran, barenvelder, Russian orloff and 2 wyandottes (RLB and GL). Hoping all of them stay girly but one of the Wyandottes is making me a little panicky with a slight blush in her comb. No obvious wattle yet so I am hoping it's just a wyandotte thing and not a rooster thing? They are about a month old now and living in my house for another week or 2. We're doing some work on a patio and once that's done, my kids and I will build the outdoor coop/run so they can be outside chickens.

I also have 3 dogs and one of them has assigned herself the role of chicken nanny and keeps the other 2 away. So it's been fun times in my tiny little home office with all of them in here while I try to work from home but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Thanks for the welcome everyone!!

 

[homeschoolin momma]

It is GORGEOUS outside today! Puttering around on the mower just chillin out feels good!

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

I asked myself..... how would fred flintstone lift weights if the gym was closed!

If anyone has gym equipment they been thinking about getting rid of now is the time for CL or FB. It's crazy what some weights are going for.

 

[Faraday40]

one of the Wyandottes is making me a little panicky with a slight blush in her comb. No obvious wattle yet so I am hoping it's just a wyandotte thing and not a rooster thing? !

It could be a Wyandotte thing. (Let's hope ) I've heard they mature a little faster. There are several "guess the gender" threads and I'm sure there's a wyandotte thread. When it's 5-6 weeks, you should be able to post some clear photos and have other members help. Feel free to post here as well.

 

[Faraday40]

It is GORGEOUS outside today! Puttering around on the mower just chillin out feels good!

I agree!!!! Loved being outside so much that I started cleaning out the garage. I wish the rest of the family would have joined me...... but they wanted to be on computers. Ugh!

 

[homeschoolin momma]

I agree!!!! Loved being outside so much that I started cleaning out the garage. I wish the rest of the family would have joined me...... but they wanted to be on computers. Ugh!

I'm sunburned I was outside so much....