Integrating a cockerel into a flock of mature hens

[islandgirl82]

Quote: Beautiful Rotties.

I am and will forever be a Newfie person. The Aussies are great but not for me. My big guy still moves around well, he's just not as responsive as he used to be. To help him out, we adopted a West Highland Terrier about a month ago - we had one last year but didn't know when we got him that he was very ill with cancer and we lost him after just 5 months. Westies were bred for not only hunting rodents and rabbits but to also dive head first into the dens of both fox and badgers and fight to the death - even when they're losing. I'm not a hunter nor do we have badgers but with the chickens here, that's a very beneficial trait to me. Especially with a nature preserve right across the road from us. Predators are fine as long as they stay over there but they're taking some serious chances if they decide to venture over here. The Westie is still learning how to behave around the flock and is doing well. He does have a terrible time though when they decide to spy on him through the windows. I think they taunt him on purpose. When outside, he mostly runs from them as my two bratty RSLs like to chase him and peck him in the behind. He knows already that he'd be in big trouble if he retaliated and I do my best to stop them when I see them after him.

Interestingly enough, Ichabod puts himself between the Westie and ME whenever I take the dog out and will not take his eyes off him. I think he knows he's not nearly as trustworthy as the Newfie.

 

[Sylvester017]

Beautiful Rotties.

I am and will forever be a Newfie person. The Aussies are great but not for me. My big guy still moves around well, he's just not as responsive as he used to be. To help him out, we adopted a West Highland Terrier about a month ago - we had one last year but didn't know when we got him that he was very ill with cancer and we lost him after just 5 months. Westies were bred for not only hunting rodents and rabbits but to also dive head first into the dens of both fox and badgers and fight to the death - even when they're losing. I'm not a hunter nor do we have badgers but with the chickens here, that's a very beneficial trait to me. Especially with a nature preserve right across the road from us. Predators are fine as long as they stay over there but they're taking some serious chances if they decide to venture over here. The Westie is still learning how to behave around the flock and is doing well. He does have a terrible time though when they decide to spy on him through the windows. I think they taunt him on purpose. When outside, he mostly runs from them as my two bratty RSLs like to chase him and peck him in the behind. He knows already that he'd be in big trouble if he retaliated and I do my best to stop them when I see them after him.

Interestingly enough, Ichabod puts himself between the Westie and ME whenever I take the dog out and will not take his eyes off him. I think he knows he's not nearly as trustworthy as the Newfie.

My DD wanted a big Newfie but the long coat is not conducive in our hot humid SoCal climate. We've done our best to stay with short hair breeds. I like Poodles for their no-shed coats but the purebred are just a bit too neurotic for me ~ maybe a designer Poodle like our friend has where some of the hyperactivity is mellowed. Don't know, like you I am partial to one breed, the intelligent large Rott ~ just not satisfied with the short lifespan.

Terriers are bred as hunters of burrowing animals, Jack Russells are notorious rat-chasers, and every breed seems to have been bred for a natural necessary function. Sad about your first Westie but I really hope the new one turns out everything you hoped for! Dogs do so well on open property and it's amazing how quickly they learn the boundaries and who belongs to their "pack" ~ even the feisty chickens haha! Our dogs loved to chase off stray cats but knew that my DD's 2 cats were off-limits.

On the farm I had an Olde Boston Bulldogge (Helen Keller dog) when I was a kid. Smart boy would put one paw on the road off the property, look back at me, and sheepishly turn back without my having to say a word to him ~ he knew the boundaries.

LIKE I SAID, I WAS A FARM GIRL!

OLD BOSTON BULLDOGGE (THEY WERE CROSSBRED WITH FRENCH BULLDOGS TO GET THE BOSTON TERRIERS OF TODAY). THE NEW OBBG'S BRED TODAY HAVE PUSHED-IN SNOUTS THAT I DON'T CARE FOR OR I'D GET ANOTHER. THE OBBG IS AN ACTIVE BREED BUT THERE'S A LOT TO DO AND GUARD ON 25 ACRES OF FARM!

 

[Birdydeb]

I just love dogs! We have two Great Pyrenees, a male and a female. I was always a collie person and I continually swear I am going to add a Newfie but the truth is that my two Pyrs have ruined me. I will probably never be without a Pyr. The short life span is disheartening but I will take what I can get. My male we rehomed from a family in town but he was raised as a puppy around chickens and ducks. He pays no attention to either our chickens or ducks. Right now he won't stay out much during the day because of the heat, neither will really but he is the worst. Before it got so hot we would put him in the pen with the chickens but not in the run. He is so big, one good jump and he could be through the wire. But anytime he barked at something on the opposite side of the run, he would stop "charging" about an inch from the wire. He would lay against it for hours under the apple tree and just watch. Both dogs got pecked by roosters and never reacted except to look at me like they got their feelings hurt. The female we raised and not around poultry. She is trustworthy with the chickens but shows way too much interest in the ducks. The ducks do their silly quacking and running around flapping their wings and she is immediately right there with a way too intent expression. However she is pretty much 100% on "leave it" and I use the command and she backs off. To have Pyrs you MUST love hair because they shed it everywhere. When we get dog number three because we like to keep three and our old man Lab mix(a rescue) is 14 and not long for this earth I think....then I already know it will be either another Pyr, a Newfie if I can find one or an Aussie or Border collie...in that order of preference.

 

[islandgirl82]

I had three Great Pyrenees when I was growing up. Newfies are much like Pyrs...without the barking and roaming. They're more people oriented but generally love having the Nanny roll to fill. Their patience seems endless. My big guy loves babies and it doesn't matter what type. On the other hand I've also had a female who was extremely uncomfortable around babies and anything little with the exception of cats. She did have lyme disease which I'm sure added to her irritability but she would break out in hives around puppies/small dogs and even my son when he was learning to crawl right up until he was walking and then she was fine with him.

I keep the big guy's belly shaved in the summer and trim his coat fairly short from his chin down his chest and also his pants to help keep him cool. He loves it when I do. The second he sees me with the trimmers and sheers he goes belly up on the floor. When I take out the garden hose he'll keep body blocking me from my mission until I hose him down lol.

 

[speckledhen]

.......

Interestingly enough, Ichabod puts himself between the Westie and ME whenever I take the dog out and will not take his eyes off him. I think he knows he's not nearly as trustworthy as the Newfie.

That sounds like an intelligent boy to me.

 

[islandgirl82]

Quote:
The Westie's days here may be quite numbered actually. Though I love the breed and have experience with several and prefer to rescue, this one in particular spent his entire life being the center of attention and has very negative responses to being asked to do things he doesn't think he should have to (like not bolt out the door or to get off the couch). I see he has so much potential in him to be a great, well mannered dog but I won't live with, nor force my children to live with anyone they're not comfortable with, let alone afraid of. We've had him for a month now and my son doesn't want anything to do with him. My daughter is less leery of him but is becoming more so with each day.

I think Ichabod's response is spot on when it comes to who is friend and who is not to be trusted. I'm very impressed that he did this immediately upon seeing the dog for the very first time. I assume he's picking up on how relaxed all the girls are with Willie but how they're very alert around this one. I'm just surprised he would choose to put himself in front of me as he does and not just the hens.

 

[aart]

The Westie's days here may be quite numbered actually. Though I love the breed and have experience with several and prefer to rescue, this one in particular spent his entire life being the center of attention and has very negative responses to being asked to do things he doesn't think he should have to (like not bolt out the door or to get off the couch). I see he has so much potential in him to be a great, well mannered dog but I won't live with, nor force my children to live with anyone they're not comfortable with, let alone afraid of. We've had him for a month now and my son doesn't want anything to do with him. My daughter is less leery of him but is becoming more so with each day.

I think Ichabod's response is spot on when it comes to who is friend and who is not to be trusted. I'm very impressed that he did this immediately upon seeing the dog for the very first time. I assume he's picking up on how relaxed all the girls are with Willie but how they're very alert around this one. I'm just surprised he would choose to put himself in front of me as he does and not just the hens.

I think it can take up to a few months to really see a dogs true demeanor. All my dogs have been adopted and I've fostered one(one adoption ended with me being attacked and the foster didn't stay after a 2 month trial). There's a honeymoon period where they can be on their best behavior to 'survive', as they get more comfortable with the lay of the land, then you start to see their true nature.

 

[islandgirl82]

Quote:

I think Ichabod's response is spot on when it comes to who is friend and who is not to be trusted. I'm very impressed that he did this immediately upon seeing the dog for the very first time. I assume he's picking up on how relaxed all the girls are with Willie but how they're very alert around this one. I'm just surprised he would choose to put himself in front of me as he does and not just the hens.

I think it can take up to a few months to really see a dogs true demeanor. All my dogs have been adopted and I've fostered one(one adoption ended with me being attacked and the foster didn't stay after a 2 month trial). There's a honeymoon period where they can be on their best behavior to 'survive', as they get more comfortable with the lay of the land, then you start to see their true nature.

I know it takes time for everyone to settle in but when I say negative responses, I mean growling and biting. So far, he's just bitten me but has recently started growling at my daughter for giving him minor commands (like get off the couch). I feel it's just a matter of time before his response is more severe towards one of them and that's not okay.

 

[aart]

Quote:

I think Ichabod's response is spot on when it comes to who is friend and who is not to be trusted. I'm very impressed that he did this immediately upon seeing the dog for the very first time. I assume he's picking up on how relaxed all the girls are with Willie but how they're very alert around this one. I'm just surprised he would choose to put himself in front of me as he does and not just the hens.

I think it can take up to a few months to really see a dogs true demeanor. All my dogs have been adopted and I've fostered one(one adoption ended with me being attacked and the foster didn't stay after a 2 month trial). There's a honeymoon period where they can be on their best behavior to 'survive', as they get more comfortable with the lay of the land, then you start to see their true nature.

I know it takes time for everyone to settle in but when I say negative responses, I mean growling and biting. So far, he's just bitten me but has recently started growling at my daughter for giving him minor commands (like get off the couch). I feel it's just a matter of time before his response is more severe towards one of them and that's not okay.
The growling started 2-3 weeks in, right before ending up flat on my back up on the floor with my arm in that 75lb dogs mouth, luckily my other dog was outside at the time.
The foster fail was not violent.

 

[limited25]

I've only re-homed one chicken, and it was because she was a chronic feather picker. Did everything I could think of to break her of it, but nothing worked. She was one of our original flock (5 RIR, one rooster) we had since they were 4 weeks old. Still have one that thinks the lowest on the pecking order (the one below her) should not be allowed into the coop at night. She stands by the door and chases her out when she attempts to go in. I have to stand by the coop door and she runs in while I am standing guard.

In 6 weeks we plan to integrate 5 new hens (all different kinds) in with them and I think that will be very interesting. Last week we divided the coop in half so each group has a half a coop and one run. It was so funny when two of the hens went in to lay an egg ... the pullets heard the egg song and ran in to see what all the excitement was. Don't know if any of the newbies were singing along, but it was the loudest chorus to date!

Enjoy reading about all your pets individual personalities.