Integrating a cockerel into a flock of mature hens

[aart]

He's done all the hard integration work....now he can relax a little.

 

[islandgirl82]

Aside from the feather picking issues with the pullets and the aggression from the one prior to being able to free-range, these last two integrations with Ichabod and the pullets have been the most anti-climactic, drama-free integrations I've ever experienced with birds who either had or nearly had reached sexual maturity and weren't young chicks.

 

[Leahs Mom]

haha My thoughts exactly.

However, when one of the lowest girls finds something extra tasty and a few of the middle to higher ups give chase to take it, he will still intervene giving the less popular girls time to eat their goodies in peace so chivalry isn't completely dead.

I hope my Buckeye boy finds his gentlemanly self. He's still very immature at 28 weeks!!!!

Just now starting to be interested in mating and there are only 3 girls that are laying. The new sfh pullets from spring. (His hatchmate Buckeye girls are also immature still and not laying.)

He started out by chasing. One of the girls has started avoiding him, one (who I call "Cranky") faces off with him but keeps her distance. Then there's the last girl. I was out there doing some work in the barn yesterday when he was strutting around looking for someone to connect with. She STOOD UP TALL ON THE ROOST AND CROWED!!!! Then she proceeded to stand on top of a stump facing him (he was on the floor) and they began frontal sparring. Eventually she joined him on the floor and continued to spar. She won and chased him off. Wouldn't back down no matter how long it took. [That's my kind of girl! ]

She continues to spar with him whenever he decides to approach.

I think this boy is going to learn his manners around here with all the older girls and the sfh pullets putting up a fight. I noticed he started to dance a little today (which I've not seen him do yet) and one of the sfh was not running as much as before. But I've never seen him mate.

I TOLD HIM IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS THAT HE BETTER LEARN TO BEHAVE LIKE A GENTLEMAN BECAUSE CHICKEN SOUP IS SOUNDING REALLY GOOD ABOUT NOW.

It was just after that when I began to see him dance.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I hope my Buckeye boy finds his gentlemanly self. He's still very immature at 28 weeks!!!!

Just now starting to be interested in mating and there are only 3 girls that are laying. The new sfh pullets from spring. (His hatchmate Buckeye girls are also immature still and not laying.)

He started out by chasing. One of the girls has started avoiding him, one (who I call "Cranky") faces off with him but keeps her distance. Then there's the last girl. I was out there doing some work in the barn yesterday when he was strutting around looking for someone to connect with. She STOOD UP TALL ON THE ROOST AND CROWED!!!! Then she proceeded to stand on top of a stump facing him (he was on the floor) and they began frontal sparring. Eventually she joined him on the floor and continued to spar. She won and chased him off. Wouldn't back down no matter how long it took. [That's my kind of girl! ]

She continues to spar with him whenever he decides to approach.

I think this boy is going to learn his manners around here with all the older girls and the sfh pullets putting up a fight. I noticed he started to dance a little today (which I've not seen him do yet) and one of the sfh was not running as much as before. But I've never seen him mate.

I TOLD HIM IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS THAT HE BETTER LEARN TO BEHAVE LIKE A GENTLEMAN BECAUSE CHICKEN SOUP IS SOUNDING REALLY GOOD ABOUT NOW.

It was just after that when I began to see him dance.

Wow, Leah's Mom. He's really really pretty.

We had a winter storm Friday/Saturday that left 18 inches of thick heavy moisture snow. The birds spent 2 days in the coop. They didn't even come out in the run. I guess they didn't care for the banging blowing on the plastic wrap. Can't really blame them. But today I pulled up a bale of hay and watched Junior with the hens. He is not Tidbitting and he actually growls like an old hen around a food stash. Hahaha. Well okay then. It could be learned behavior from the old hens? IDK. They haven't been all that nice to him themselves. He rarely mates. I mean he is a nice boy...but he is not the hatchery stock New Hampshire Rooster I raised 4 years ago. This baby boy is..... well soft. I've talked to the breeder about him. She does select against non agressiveness in the roosters. That I know. Junior has not taken a run at any of us. But she also says the Welsummer breed has been especially docile for her. I think these factors along with introduction to manner minding old hens. Has him in good boy form. Despite growliness at treats and sometimes sub par predator watches.

I noted before the storm...when they were free ranging they were all in one flock. so he is gaining some respect...? The hens are looking to him to lead the way and join the old with the newer pullets. IDK... what to think. These birds always have me watching and observing. And constantly learning with new member introductions. IT's especially interesting with a new rooster...that's for sure.

 

[islandgirl82]

Ichabod was a late bloomer too and didn't begin mating until 7+ months and he was so subtle about it, I never would have known it was happening had I not been right there to see it. I like that your pullet came out on top in the sparring match...shows that your boy isn't aggressive. He'll come into his own soon enough but I think this time of year is tough on the boys who are nearing sexual maturity but lacking in available females. I'm also in favor of introducing a cockerel to mature hens and more assertive pullets definitely has it's advantages as far as teaching them manners. Your buckeye boy is pretty...does he mind you handling him?

 

[Leahs Mom]

I haven't picked him up in awhile. Last time I did, he balked, but he seems like he would warm up and hang close if I spent the time with him. He will come up and allow me to touch his chest a bit before backing away. It is non-aggressive when he comes up to me so far.

Sometimes at night if they are just getting on the roost and I'm out there, I'll touch each of the Buckeyes a bit just to keep contact.

So far they are very gentle birds.

 

[islandgirl82]

I don't know anything about Buckeyes but just read the reviews on here. They all say the same things about them being very gentle and docile but that puts them at the bottom of the order a lot. They seem very similar to the Dominique though mine do stick up for themselves. They're not at the bottom but the definitely don't go around stirring up trouble. The pullets have been challenging each other but there hasn't been anything serious now that they're able to range. It seems the two breeds would compliment each other well in a mixed flock.

The way your boy is with attention is similar to Ichabod's brother. He had gone to live with a friend's flock but was sadly lost to a weasel a couple of weeks ago. He wasn't interested in being doted on like Ichabod is but he would approach certain people for attention and always let my friend's 6 year old carry him around.

Ichabod was a little short on patience with some of the girls this morning as he was chasing a few specific ones around until I fed out their breakfast. I have a feeling they're getting close laying again and he knows it.

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm seriously considering bringing in some new blood this spring. Looking at Cackle, as they supposedly have acquired good Dom stock as a base for their breeding flock, and have someone overseeing the project who knows the breed. They also carry Buckeyes. I've long been considering that breed. If I do my Cackle order, IG, that will give a parallel flock of Doms here in Maine, so we can trade back and forth from our respective gene pools. I'm HOPING to maintain one Dom roo along side of Jack. He's been missing the mark lately, may just be a seasonal thing. So, we'll see what the eggs look like in the frying pan, come spring. Buckeyes would blend into my breeding program goals well, produce nice BSL chicks with the Dom hens, and produce nice olive eggers with the EE.

 

[islandgirl82]

I'd be happy to trade with you and you're welcome to hatching eggs whenever you want. You could always order just pullets from Cackle and are bound to end up with a few cockerels from Ichabod if you so choose. I skipped hatching the eggs from the pullets this fall...in reality, I'm not prepared for chicks right now. The hen I thought was going broody didn't and even if she had, I still don't have the set up for her to have raised them but that's my goal for the coming spring. Even if I don't end up with a broody and have to with the MHP method I want to keep them out in the main coop.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Buckeyes would blend into my breeding program goals well, produce nice BSL chicks with the Dom hens, and produce nice olive eggers with the EE.

@lazy gardener

I don't know my genetics at all so you'll have to excuse my ignorance.

Are you saying that if I cross a dom hen with the buckeye boy I will get sexlinks? How do I tell boy from girl in that scenario?


OH..and I got my bucks from a breeder rather than hatchery. There may be some good breeders in your area but the "Buckeye world" can be very...what's the word.... (obnoxious? mean? arrogant?) in some circles. One of the clubs seems to be very helpful and have a better attitude and outlook I was warned ahead by some of the "seasoned" folks as I'm not interested in that kind of behavior or politics.