Integration of 4 chicks

[RW1984]

So the 4 chicks (2 BJG and 2 australorps) are free in the run during the day and still get pecked at randomly (eating out of the main feeder, being somewhere a bigger bird wants to be etc...) which I assume is them being taught their order in the pecking chart. Which makes sense since I have 38 birds (to include the chicks), 7 of which are Roos. All the adults are 19-20 weeks as of right now.
Anyways my question is this.
Night comes, and the Roos here the ladies in for the evening. However when a new chick tries to go in, they are pecked out.
I’ve watched this since Thursday evening. Anywherein order they try to go they are pecked out of the coop. Even if they’re last.
now I’ve taken to shooing the bigger birds back from the chicken door and pushing the little ones in after everyone else is in.
There is no pecking or fighting when that happens.
is this normal? Will it resolve itself as the chicks get older? They are about 8 weeks at the moment.

 

[aart]

is this normal?

Pretty much.

All the adults are 19-20 weeks as of right now.

Not 'adults' until one year old...pullets and cockerels at full peak hormone stage.

7 of which are Roos.

Why so many?
Multiple males create chaos, especially at that age.

How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help immensely here.



Oh, and... Welcome to BYC! @RW1984
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[RW1984]

Pretty much.

Not 'adults' until one year old...pullets and cockerels at full peak hormone stage.

Why so many?
Multiple males create chaos, especially at that age.

How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help immensely here.



Oh, and... Welcome to BYC! @RW1984
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 2308132

i have the photos uploaded in my other post you replied to about shade.
The run is 30x20 sq ft. The coop is 10x10
All the roosters grew up together and there hasn’t been much chaos to be honest.
They tend to hang out together most of the time too when I go out. Usually in groups of 2-4.
I also dont know which roosters to keep vs get rid of if I were to cull some.
Also they do t have much meat on them either it seems so they’d just go in the ground.
I have a couple silver Wyandotte roosters, a couple sapphire gem roosters and an EE rooster. Also one bantam silver Wyandotte rooster with feathered feet lol.
I am open to suggestions or advice though!

 

[aart]

Also they do t have much meat on them either it seems so they’d just go in the ground.

Just about any bird is edible...I eat 14-16 week old cockerels every year.
Nope, not much meat on them but still delicious and the peace that can ensue getting them out of the flock is icing on the cake.

 

[Ridgerunner]

My definition of a successful integration is that no one gets hurt. It sounds like you have accomplished that. All that stuff of becoming one close-knit flock where they all live and play closely together can wait. It will happen in time as they mature.

I don't know why Aart's chickens are so slow to mature. We do house and raise them a little differently, could explain some of it. My pullets tend to act like mature hens around the time they start laying. Cockerels can be all over the board. I've had one cockerel act like a mature rooster at five months though some take about a year. To me their behaviors are not about calendar age but more about how they behave. I'd expect your four young ones to remain separate from the others until about the time they (the young ones) start to lay.

is this normal? Will it resolve itself as the chicks get older?

Yes, pretty normal. I haven't seen exactly that behavior but that type of behavior isn't strange.

I also dont know which roosters to keep vs get rid of if I were to cull some.
Also they do t have much meat on them either it seems so they’d just go in the ground.

Cull can mean house separately, give away, or sell. It does not have to mean kill. Personally I like to butcher my dual purpose cockerels around 5 months, just a few weeks older than yours. They will not have the volume of meat that a store bird will, they are not bred for that. But people have been eating birds that size for thousands of years. You cannot cook them like you would a store bird, they are too old for that. No frying or grilling. They will be too tough. If you need a recipe let me know. Or you can use them for broth. You don't have to bury them.

I have a couple silver Wyandotte roosters, a couple sapphire gem roosters and an EE rooster. Also one bantam silver Wyandotte rooster with feathered feet lol.

What are your goals for having roosters? Why do you want a male? We all have different reasons. If you can decide why you want one or more get rid of any that don't measure up. It's not always an easy decision but if you can figure out why you want one at least some of the decisions might be easier. If nothing else flip a coin or draw out of a hat. I don't know your goals or why you want them but the right number for you might be anywhere from 0 to all of them.

I raise a lot of cockerels to butcher age. Sometimes it is as peaceful as it sounds like yours are. Sometimes it gets really disruptive. Each flock is different, even raised the same way in the same conditions. If it goes bad it can go pretty quickly. I agree with Aart. Removing all or some cockerels can have a very calming effect on your pullets and the flock as whole if it does get disruptive.

Right now it doesn't sound that bad but don't be surprised if things change as they continue to mature.

 

[RW1984]

My definition of a successful integration is that no one gets hurt. It sounds like you have accomplished that. All that stuff of becoming one close-knit flock where they all live and play closely together can wait. It will happen in time as they mature.

I don't know why Aart's chickens are so slow to mature. We do house and raise them a little differently, could explain some of it. My pullets tend to act like mature hens around the time they start laying. Cockerels can be all over the board. I've had one cockerel act like a mature rooster at five months though some take about a year. To me their behaviors are not about calendar age but more about how they behave. I'd expect your four young ones to remain separate from the others until about the time they (the young ones) start to lay.

is this normal? Will it resolve itself as the chicks get older?

Yes, pretty normal. I haven't seen exactly that behavior but that type of behavior isn't strange.

I also dont know which roosters to keep vs get rid of if I were to cull some.
Also they do t have much meat on them either it seems so they’d just go in the ground.

Cull can mean house separately, give away, or sell. It does not have to mean kill. Personally I like to butcher my dual purpose cockerels around 5 months, just a few weeks older than yours. They will not have the volume of meat that a store bird will, they are not bred for that. But people have been eating birds that size for thousands of years. You cannot cook them like you would a store bird, they are too old for that. No frying or grilling. They will be too tough. If you need a recipe let me know. Or you can use them for broth. You don't have to bury them.

I have a couple silver Wyandotte roosters, a couple sapphire gem roosters and an EE rooster. Also one bantam silver Wyandotte rooster with feathered feet lol.

What are your goals for having roosters? Why do you want a male? We all have different reasons. If you can decide why you want one or more get rid of any that don't measure up. It's not always an easy decision but if you can figure out why you want one at least some of the decisions might be easier. If nothing else flip a coin or draw out of a hat. I don't know your goals or why you want them but the right number for you might be anywhere from 0 to all of them.

I raise a lot of cockerels to butcher age. Sometimes it is as peaceful as it sounds like yours are. Sometimes it gets really disruptive. Each flock is different, even raised the same way in the same conditions. If it goes bad it can go pretty quickly. I agree with Aart. Removing all or some cockerels can have a very calming effect on your pullets and the flock as whole if it does get disruptive.

Right now it doesn't sound that bad but don't be surprised if things change as they continue to mature.

If you would be willing to send me a recipe for them that would be great thank you!
we didn’t plan on having this many roosters it just happened with the straight run batches we got.
I’ve got my eye on one roo that seems to be more assertive towards me when I go in. He stays near me and walks sideways all the time, he pecks when I go to pet him but he doesn’t flog ordo anything else negative. If any of them were I’d say he would be the most likely to do so first.
I’ve not butchered a bird for meat before so it will be an interesting process figuring out how to do it since I have no idea what I’m doing lol

 

[Ridgerunner]

If you would be willing to send me a recipe for them that would be great thank you!

At that age I cut the bird into serving pieces. Age it until rigor mortis has passed. When it dies rigor sets up in a few hours, it gets really stiff. Keep it cool in the fridge or an ice chest until it is no longer stiff, usually a couple of days.

I rinse the meat off and put it in a baking dish that closes tightly. Don't pat it dry, leave it wet. Then add your spices or herbs. All kinds of things you could add like a carrot, celery, an onion, or garlic. I typically just use oregano and basil fairly thick, sort of like herb encrusted though though it doesn't form a crust. I might also use a little thyme or maybe parsley. There are no set rules, just whatever you like.

Then bake it in the oven on 250* F for about three hours. 250, you do not want it to get too hot. When it's done carefully remove it with a slotted spoon. It can fall off the bone, it's that tender. You will probably have about a half cup of liquid. Strain that and de-fat it, the best broth you have ever tasted. You need a baking dish with a tight-fitting lid so the liquid does not evaporate. I want to repeat that, it's important.

I've been trying to get @aart to try this recipe for ages but she always has excuses. Last time she wanted me to buy her a baking pot. I'm not that good of a friend. If I remember right she uses a pressure cooker. Some people use a crock pot or slowly simmer to make a soup. Lots of different ways to cook one.

I’ve not butchered a bird for meat before so it will be an interesting process figuring out how to do it since I have no idea what I’m doing lol

We've all been in your situation at some time, though I grew up butchering for Mom. There is a lot of information on this in the meat bird section of this forum. Some information in the sticky section at the top and a lot of threads about this throughout that section. Many people that very recently were in your exact position. Don't be afraid to start your own thread, most of the people over there are good people willing to share.

 

[aart]

I've been trying to get @aart to try this recipe for ages but she always has excuses. Last time she wanted me to buy her a baking pot.

I still want you to


I rest all cleaned carcasses for at least 2 days.
Young cockerels I like to grill for the crispy skin, then use grilled bones for stock.
Most others get cooked in a PC.
I did do a smothered chicken and rice bake in the oven this last winter.

 

[RW1984]

If you would be willing to send me a recipe for them that would be great thank you!

At that age I cut the bird into serving pieces. Age it until rigor mortis has passed. When it dies rigor sets up in a few hours, it gets really stiff. Keep it cool in the fridge or an ice chest until it is no longer stiff, usually a couple of days.

I rinse the meat off and put it in a baking dish that closes tightly. Don't pat it dry, leave it wet. Then add your spices or herbs. All kinds of things you could add like a carrot, celery, an onion, or garlic. I typically just use oregano and basil fairly thick, sort of like herb encrusted though though it doesn't form a crust. I might also use a little thyme or maybe parsley. There are no set rules, just whatever you like.

Then bake it in the oven on 250* F for about three hours. 250, you do not want it to get too hot. When it's done carefully remove it with a slotted spoon. It can fall off the bone, it's that tender. You will probably have about a half cup of liquid. Strain that and de-fat it, the best broth you have ever tasted. You need a baking dish with a tight-fitting lid so the liquid does not evaporate. I want to repeat that, it's important.

I've been trying to get @aart to try this recipe for ages but she always has excuses. Last time she wanted me to buy her a baking pot. I'm not that good of a friend. If I remember right she uses a pressure cooker. Some people use a crock pot or slowly simmer to make a soup. Lots of different ways to cook one.

I’ve not butchered a bird for meat before so it will be an interesting process figuring out how to do it since I have no idea what I’m doing lol

We've all been in your situation at some time, though I grew up butchering for Mom. There is a lot of information on this in the meat bird section of this forum. Some information in the sticky section at the top and a lot of threads about this throughout that section. Many people that very recently were in your exact position. Don't be afraid to start your own thread, most of the people over there are good people willing to share.

Do you put it in the ice chest feathers and all or after you remove feathers and insides and the head?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I first remove the feathers, insides and head.