Integrating a cockerel into a flock of mature hens

[islandgirl82]

Quote: Probably should say cock/erels instead of livestock....or mostly cock/erels...but have heard stories about other male livestock all friendly when young that turned to dominance as they matured...and a tons of stories of the friendly baby cockerels turning dominant.
I used to take care of a vacationing buddies rabbits, and chickens, and the bucks were all love and the does would love to take your finger off.

Give me a buck any day over a doe! I've had rabbits too. I grew up thinking they only live for 3-4 years...I recently had my 9.5 yr old doe pass away. She was AWFUL. The Monty Python rabbit could have been based on her. Does go into heat every 21 days for 21 days so they literally spend half their life being wretched and the other half still questionable.

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

My rabbit is a doe about 3 years old...very sweet and extremely tame. She lets little kids run up to her and pet her. I can let her run around the yard knowing I can easily walk over and pick her up without any problem. She also sits in your lap and enjoys petting. Very friendly. She and my dogs are also friends, as they grew up around her. She tries to make friends with the cats, but they are afraid of her.

I had her sister too who was also a good bunny, but unfortunately she escaped a while back. I think a dog probably got her.

 

[winkyfaye]

I agree about the males. I have worked rehabbing wildlife, (raccoons, opossums and squirrels) and found the males much friendlier and loving. I think the pms makes the females unpredictable.

 

[aart]

I agree about the males. I have worked rehabbing wildlife, (raccoons, opossums and squirrels) and found the males much friendlier and loving. I think the pms makes the females unpredictable.

Hormones can affect both male and female behaviors...animals and humans.

 

[speckledhen]

Hormones can affect both male and female behaviors...animals and humans.

Ain't that the truth??! Anyone watching a young cockerel's hormones kick in has seen direct evidence of that, LOL. And like humans, some hit puberty sooner or later than others. My own Barred Rock cockerel, Apollo, at 22 weeks old is just now starting to breed the hens, only began crowing about a week or so ago. He's sort of slow. While another Barred Rock cockerel, Hector, is grabbing girls at 13 weeks and was crowing by 7 weeks old. He was ready to take on the world by 8-9 weeks old, including full-grown roosters. Have to watch that boy for his own good, lol.

 

[islandgirl82]

Despite Ichabod now having covered at least half the hens, he joined me in the garden yesterday evening, not for all the goodies as the hens do but just watching me meddle amidst the plants. I reached out to him and he didn't move away. Instead, he stood for his usual chest rub. I thought about it for a moment and then picked him up just as I've done all along and he was perfectly calm and content, even as my neighbor saw us and came over with her two aussies (whom Ichabod hadn't met before) to admire and pet him. When they had gone, I set him back down and he stayed beside me while I finished up in the garden.

I was startled this morning when I heard a distressed "scream" right under a window I worried the fox had come back to pay the flock a visit but when I looked out the window, everyone was carrying on like nothing had happened and I realize it was Ichabod's crow. I heard it again and laughed as it sounded more like a very young lamb or goat kid. It's not a loud crow and he only did it a few more times while I watched him through the window as he flapped his wings and strutted around the garden.

A few minutes later, I heard the very distinct warning call of one of the hens and ran out to investigate. As I was quickly taking the head count, making my way to the coop, Ichabod came rushing out of the run towards me, started to drop a wing but when I stopped and just stood still, looking at him and talking to him, he straightened himself and turned away. I finished my walk to the coop and thought, 'he must be protecting someone on the nest' and sure enough, when I opened the coop door, one of the boxes was occupied.

Ichabod had a opportunity to strike me but made a very wise decision when he turned away. The lesson here for me? When everyone is still carrying on with their usual activities, do NOT rush towards any of the chickens or the coop, even with good intentions.

The next time I went out, the whole flock surrounded me. He slowly made his way through his harem to stand beside me and welcomed another chest rub.

 

[islandgirl82]

Ichabod has started dropping a wing and inching towards me each morning when the girls swarm me and each time, I walk straight towards him, herding him away from them and he's very quick to comply. He only does this wing drop once a day, obviously expecting a different result but it's not working in his favor and hopefully he'll give up trying to intimidate me soon. The hens are also letting him know that he won't be stopping them from visiting with me as more than a few will turn and peck him when he acts up. By the end of each day, he still welcomes my attention.

He's very quiet which I have no complaints about. Hearing him crow is more like a novelty. Yesterday morning he didn't begin until around 8:30 and only did it about a half dozen times throughout the entire day. This morning, he started an hour earlier and we've only heard him three times. I remember my last cockerel crowing non-stop once he got his voice and Russell did so often as well, beginning around 3:30 each morning which was the cause of an increasing number of neighbor complaints (mainly from the seasonals) so Ichabod's late start is definitely working in his favor.

 

[Bdchickenfarmer]

Ichabod has started dropping a wing and inching towards me each morning when the girls swarm me and each time, I walk straight towards him, herding him away from them and he's very quick to comply.  He only does this wing drop once a day, obviously expecting a different result but it's not working in his favor and hopefully he'll give up trying to intimidate me soon. The hens are also letting him know that he won't be stopping them from visiting with me as more than a few will turn and peck him when he acts up.  By the end of each day, he still welcomes my attention. 

He's very quiet which I have no complaints about.  Hearing him crow is more like a novelty.  Yesterday morning he didn't begin until around 8:30 and only did it about a half dozen times throughout the entire day.  This morning, he started an hour earlier and we've only heard him three times.  I remember my last cockerel crowing non-stop once he got his voice and Russell did so often as well, beginning around 3:30 each morning which was the cause of an increasing number of neighbor complaints (mainly from the seasonals) so Ichabod's late start is definitely working in his favor.   

this gives me hope as my speckled Sussex just began to crow this morning

 

[islandgirl82]

Quote:
There's no telling whether Ichabod will remain as quiet and soft spoken as he currently is, this is just the beginning and it may change as he grows more confident (though I don't believe the volume will change much with age) but the very first rooster I had was also quiet. He would crow at 7a.m. like clockwork every day and stop as soon as I let the flock out for the day.

From what I understand, as soon as they get the gist of crowing, what you hear is what you get - their voice doesn't change much but I could be wrong. As for frequency, I don't know as there is any telling other than if there are other roosters within earshot, they tend to compete.

 

[lazy gardener]

Those Dom hens have become my most enthusiastic garden helpers. I often have to put my work on hold until they've left the garden as they love to be ON the shovel or fork and I worry I'll sever a toe...or worse! I get back to it when they've wandered off but I swear they have this incredible radar that lets them know the second I've picked up my tools again and are right back in the midst of things.

I can't wait for Dom babies! Given how well natured both hens were to begin with and how Ichabod is turning out to be, those babies should have exceptional temperaments.

Yep, when I've had Doms, they would seek out attention. Jump up on the perch beside me and beg for a face massage. Come on the run when ever I picked up a shovel. I'm so glad you're enjoying your Doms. Hoping to get some next spring.