Introducing myself.

[kymmandco]

Hi, I'm Kymm and am soon to be the reluctant owner of 3 roos (I assume this is the short name for cockerels, if not I apologise, I'm just starting out).
I live in the UK, and basically 2 of my God daughters are giving me 3 of their newly hatched cockerels.
They can't keep them and apparently if they send them to the farm they will be minced up as chicken feed.
I don't know if that's true or not, I know absolutely NOTHING.
That's why I'm here.
I have about 2 more weeks before the boys come to stay. I haven't even seen them and really don't want them.
That might sound bad, I thought they were joking and now don't want to break the girls' hearts or have these turned into mincemeat.
I'm totally open to suggestions of what I might do, but until then I'm preparing myself to keep and give them the best home I can.
My main concerns are, my dogs wont take to them, my rabbits will get bullied, my kids hate them already and my neighbours already hate me because I got 2, 14 month old, very active and at times vocal Border Collies.
They were raised with chickens and their breeder recommended chickens to break them from their chase and herd instincts. (my rabbits failed, lol).
Tell me all you know, and get me prepared.
I need feeding, grooming and health advice, not sure my vet does chickens.
I'm here to learn.
Thanks in advance.
Kymm.

 

[boskelli1571]

Wow! & welcome!

Your set-up sounds like something from Fawlty Towers...

So - to start. It's probably true that the roos' would get minced up for feed. There are a couple of graphic videos out there on that very subject... Firstly, accommodations - where are you going to house them? They may or may not get along together, so plan ahead for 3 cages. If you have something like a large shed/barn they could be kept in large dog crates. Certainly with dogs around, if you intend to keep them, they need to be protected.
Have you checked on your zoning? Some areas do not allow roosters because they are noisy (this could be your 'out'). I would also check out your local poultry club to see if anyone could help you out. The English mag. Backyard Poultry has several useful addresses for breeders etc. - they may have something on re-homing chickens. Are there any farms nearby? They might take free roosters - just don't ask what they are going to do with them...
There is loads of info. in the learning center tab, but I would strongly recommend that you try to find them a more suitable home. There is nothing worse than having to care for an animal you neither want nor care for, is going to cost you money with little/no return.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[drumstick diva]

GEE if you are lucky enough to live where you cannot possibly have cockerels - that would be a great way to regrettably(?) turn them down. The powers that be would probably say they would have to be destroyed if found on your property. Nobody wants cockerels, and I'm sure the parents of your God daughters knows this. To me this triple cockerel dumping is an act of war.

I don't know the age of your God daughters but, they will encounter many things that will break their hearts, as they grow up. This will help them build character and a stiff upper lip for the future. Obviously it is a good thing you will have to turn them down. Your part will be to truly display compunction.

 

[nj2wv]

welcome to BYC !!

 

[sunflour]

Welcome to BYC, so sorry about your predicament.

Honestly I can not see a good outcome to the "gift" your goddaughters are bestowing on you and your family. It is quite selfish IMO to pass their responsibility on to you.

You have already been given honest, realistic opinions from respected, experienced members of BYC. Please do consider their statements.

Personally, I have no experience with raising or managing roosters, but do know this. They will not live together in harmony, even if housed in a manner to keep them separated. If not separated continuously, they will fight each other with vigor, will pose a physical threat to you, your children and your other pets. Human wounds from rooster spurring results in significant pain and risk of infection. And if your children are young, the injuries can be extensive not just physical but psychological. They do not just crow at dawn and dusk. Expect loud crowing all day long, I have witness the obnoxious competition in a flock with just 2 competing roosters. If your neighbors think your Collies are noisy, just wait til the complaints begin about the noise and disruption the roosters will display. Your peaceful farm will be quite different and likely will cause discord in your family and life.

I don't know the ages of your goddaughters, but it is a fact that 50% of all hatches are expected to be male, and anyone who enters into hatching their eggs should be aware of that probability and plan for rehoming or disposition of unwanted males before the hatch begins. If they are young, the responsible adult should take the responsibility and if they are more mature, that responsibility should fall to them. It is a hard lesson and IMO when we bail someone out on their mistakes, they continue to expect this for a lifetime. If you are thinking of small cages, IMO culling is more humane than a restricted life.

The expense and day to day management of separate housing and runs will surprise you. I wonder if the givers are prepared to donate to that cause?


If you are truly committed to try to keep them, then do your research to see what this entails:

Explore the Learning Center articles on raising, feeding chickens. Explore the coops/runs forums for planning your coop/runs. Pay attention to minimal space each one needs. Search the forums for rooster invoked injuries and crowing issues. Consider the amount of time it will consume to care for them and decide how to provide daily care and coop/cage cleaning.

Good luck with your decisions.

 

[kymmandco]

Thank you everyone for your advice, but need more and desperately now.
7 (not the 3 I was expecting) roos were delivered today (not in 2 weeks time).
These baby cockerels are now about 6 or 7 weeks old and have never been held.
They are very frightened, attack my 2 rabbits' cages (I obviously had no time to prepare their enclosure so they are in the rabbit pen for now (coop not being delivered until after the 29th of this month).
They are very fast and up to now have only managed to catch 1 but only out of desperation when 2 of them escaped into my dogs enclosure (luckily because of the rain my garden was still locked off) Don't worry the other one found his own way back and I have secured the area so they can't escape again. Also my dogs are more curious than anything so up to now are being very excepting of their new neighbours.
Anyway, here's what I need...
What is the best way to hold them? (I'm NOT allowing them to go feral if that's not too late).
If I keep them I want them as pets.
What do I need to keep them clean and mite/disease free?
Is disinfectant toxic to them? They peck and eat off the floor/ground which will be cleaned often.
If you're thinking I shouldn't be keeping roosters, please read my original introduction (these have been forced upon me, this was NEVER my choice).
I just want to make the best out of a bad situation so these little guys don't end up as chicken feed.
I thank you in advance.
Kymm.

 

[boskelli1571]

Thank you everyone for your advice, but need more and desperately now.
7 (not the 3 I was expecting) roos were delivered today (not in 2 weeks time).
These baby cockerels are now about 6 or 7 weeks old and have never been held.
They are very frightened, attack my 2 rabbits' cages (I obviously had no time to prepare their enclosure so they are in the rabbit pen for now (coop not being delivered until after the 29th of this month).
They are very fast and up to now have only managed to catch 1 but only out of desperation when 2 of them escaped into my dogs enclosure (luckily because of the rain my garden was still locked off) Don't worry the other one found his own way back and I have secured the area so they can't escape again. Also my dogs are more curious than anything so up to now are being very excepting of their new neighbours.
Anyway, here's what I need...
What is the best way to hold them? (I'm NOT allowing them to go feral if that's not too late).
If I keep them I want them as pets.
What do I need to keep them clean and mite/disease free?
Is disinfectant toxic to them? They peck and eat off the floor/ground which will be cleaned often.
If you're thinking I shouldn't be keeping roosters, please read my original introduction (these have been forced upon me, this was NEVER my choice).
I just want to make the best out of a bad situation so these little guys don't end up as chicken feed.
I thank you in advance.
Kymm.

Well,, I admire your determination! Here goes - cages. It is likely that they will not get along with each other too well, so you are going to need more that one cage. Bedding - you can buy large bags of wood shavings, straw etc. at most agricultural outlets (I'm not sure what you have in the UK). You can also used grass clippings, dried leaves or sand. Many people swear by sand (coarse sand) since it's easy to keep clean. Food - again at an agricultural outlet - it should say right on the bag what age range it's suitable for. 20% for growing birds.
You will inevitably need some red mite and louse powder, they almost certainly will get either or both. Red mite is a big problem in the UK. I recommend you get a copy of Backyard Poultry. It's an excellent magazine and has lots of useful stuff in it.
Now, as for making them friendly. Bear in mind some birds are more 'cuddly' than others - just like people. The correct way to pick up a chicken is to scoop one hand under the belly so you can control their legs with your fingers, and place one hand over the back to provide stability and prevent flight. In the beginning though, feed them from the hand - treats like mealworms etc. you need to earn their trust. Once they start coming to you for treats, you can gently stroke the feathers using a firmer touch each time. It will take time, roosters are not generally cuddly by nature, so be very patient. If your enclosure is large enough, sit in with them for a bit. They will gradually get used to you. If you have to capture them for something specific, evening after they have gone to roost is easiest.
Disinfectant, bleach etc. all is poisonous to birds. They are inquisitive so keep stuff out of reach. I use 1:10 bleach dilution to clean out the coop with, the birds are not allowed back in until it's dry. Which brings me to housekeeping. To keep flies down, remove poop balls daily or at least every other. Spring & fall cleaning means taking everything apart and cleaning. At this time you can check for mites.
I think that's all for now. I encourage you to read the learning center tab for further info. on what to feed/what not to feed, other bedding ideas etc.
Wish you luck, keep us posted!

 

[kymmandco]

I thought I'd post a quick update...
Again thank you all for your advice etc, that and reading possibly every post ever put up on here, lol has helped me out loads.

So, here goes...
I received what turned out to be 4 roos and 3 pullets (not 7 roos) then another 2 hens a few days later as the 4 brood hens were pecking at them (poor things) so 4 boys and 5 girls and all happy and healthy living together, the boys fought it out as babies and seem to range and roost together quite amicably (happy days).

Now add to that, I minding the 4 brood mothers (NOT blood mothers) while my God-daughters were away and my roos one at a time decided to mature up (age 11-12 weeks Pekin Bantam Lavenders, the mothers are all coloured bantams).
As soon as the 4 mums turned up, Romeo jumped on Charlotte (the brown) and thwarted her innocence away and over the next few days continued through all 4 hens and then the other 3 roos soon followed suit, even seemingly pairing up and protecting their favourite.

Marlon was taking turns in the nest box with Venus who I think is getting broody (massive smelly poos and spending more and more time in her nest box but not yet committed full-time and now roosting away from the other hens in with my chicks).

Foxtrot lays in the nest box with Isabella while she lays (Isabella is top of the pecking order and foxtrot the lesser roo but it works).
He also sticks with Isabella not interested in the other 3 hens (although she's not so faithful), he asks and parades and always takes no for an answer and then she'll decide to let him in and he's so happy, puffing up and crowing afterwards (if only men were more like him the world would be a better place, lol)
(BTW, I remove all eggs as they are laid and replace with table tennis balls, the perfect size for Bantam eggs much cheaper than the 20 supposedly fake eggs I bought too).

Romeo is trying to keep ALL 4 to himself, but is NO Romeo in reality as he's rough and no longer bothers to dance and flirt, he just waits until their heads are down and attacks, he also tries chasing the other roos away and or doubles up knocking them off when they... well, you know what I mean.

Which only leaves Uniform, the little one. He has only just matured up under the guidance of Romeo who 'allowed' him to practice on Charlotte and now Uniform fancies himself as contender for Romeo's position but as yet not winning any battles (watching closely and intending on splitting them if it continues).
I'm only keeping 2 of the roos, 1 going to school in September and another to a friend but not sure which ones yet, I love them all and I never thought I'd EVER say that about chicken that hasn't come out of KFC. NOT my choice of pet until I got these babies dumped on me. They're just too lovely and I can't keep away from them.

None of the boys bother my pullets although they have been groomed really well in readiness I think, Romeo (sometimes the others) peck them on the head and they put their heads down and seemingly brace themselves, if they don't they get pecked again until they do, the pullets also seem to have their favourite roos, none of them like Romeo unless he calls them for dinner, He calls out when he finds something tasty and is happy to share, the role of the top cockerel, and he does a great job keeping order (the chicks are all now 13 weeks old so are learning fast).

My dogs BTW love them, and the rabbits are happy to hop about them, although I'd never leave either alone unsupervised together. All my concerns gone out of the window and I've been converted into a chicken lover.

To explain the chicken names, you can blame my 16 year old daughter (who's adopted them as HERS).
They are the little...
Foxtrot
Uniform
Charlie
Kilo
Echo
Romeo
Sierra
then when we got the other 2 we added Marlon (he has a line moustache and looks like Marlon Brando in The God-father)
and changed the Frizzles name from Mary (my God-daughters give their chickens very girlie-girlie names) to Sonic because she's fast and looks like a blue and gold hedgehog (well lavender grey and yellowish-brown now coming out in her head and chest feathers).
She now wants to rename the older hens so they spell out BITCHES with our 3 hen juniors and the roo will take over which ever cockerel we send away probably with Marlon (the sweetheart) who everyone wants and I really don't want to let go (boo-hoo).
Keeping ALL her eggs in one basket so to speak, she decided this before we had fertile eggs, lol.

Now for the ultimate news...
I got fertile eggs growing and chickens looking to go broody.
Leaving actual eggs in the nest boxes was NOT a good idea, magpies got them twice (I thought one of the chickens went cannibal at first but then the second time I saw a magpie swoop, grab an egg and start eating it). I moved the nest site and coops closer to the house and made it harder to get to the nests. Also I changed to ping-pong balls and removed the eggs, I ordered 20 Bantam sized eggs 3.5-4cm and got regular sized 5.5-6cm eggs (they were cheap on Ebay and came from China so lesson learned) I also ran out of ping-pong balls so used crafting polystyrene balls and they have been accepted too (even fooled the magpie who took one, took a bite and dropped it in the garden and hasn't been back since.
More ping-pong balls on the way just £13.45 (about $20) for 150 on Amazon.
I paid £3 for 5 eggs x4 bags on Ebay which was the cheapest I found and ended up the wrong size so money down the drain.

My point here being, 'YES' you can make hens go broody with a little time and patience and without the use of buckets, cages etc. 2-3 weeks max even for the most stubborn and out of season. (I'm NOT an expert though, just tried and tested with promising results).
These hens naturally went broody age 2 for the first and possibly only time, this Spring hence my chicks being hatched on 16 May 2015, and probably wouldn't go broody again until next Spring if at all.
Leaving eggs/balls in the nest brought out the mothering instinct in them all, they gather all the balls under them whilst laying and sit a while on them making a perfect nest around them, at first they just went to the box, laid and left, then I bought 3 more boxes (pet carriers are perfect) so they had one each. Charlotte has her own, Venus uses her own and Sophia and Isabella lay in the same one. Sophia is Isabella's hench chick, she's beautiful (speckled pheasant Bantam) but deadly (one NASTY hen/ch).
The fourth was vacant so I put it in the chicks coop and now Charlotte has followed Venus and moved in with my chicks and started laying happily again (she laid daily but stopped when Venus left I think because Isabella and Sophia pecked her so much and wouldn't let her in, so they now have that coop to themselves and Charlotte lays now in the box in the chicks coop).

Venus is definitely going broody and shows all the signs, smelly, large poos, sitting in the nest longer, returning to the nest etc, even Marlon takes turns sitting after she's been out for 20 minutes or more which is adorable. She just doesn't sleep in the nest yet, probably because her nest is still in the other coop, so moving it into the chick coop if it ever stops raining today, lol.
Isabella, is now sitting longer.
Charlotte made a nice nest around her egg yesterday, but that box was empty so I placed 3 eggs in return for her 1 and she laid another just now which I'm replacing with 2 more (I'm using the regular sized eggs I bought as Charlotte has quite large eggs anyway and might not notice these giants so much). Just need the rain to stop and chicks to leave while I climb in and exchange eggs, clean etc.
Even Sophia, the only non broody (never went broody like the other 3 in Spring) sat on now 9 balls, spread herself over and rolled all under herself and made a nice tidy nest around herself yesterday, so here's hoping.

Charlotte sat for 24 days in Spring and not a single chick to show while Venus had 5 and Isabella had all 6 hatch (they got 6 each, 2 died which is why I only have 9 chicks) so if she goes broody she's getting 8 of my fertile eggs from the incubator that I know are alive and she'll only need to sit 14 or less days and if they don't survive I'll place the day old chicks under her.
I collected all eggs from 31 July-9th August (25 in total) and incubated them all on the 9th, most had veining on day 3/4 and will candle on Sunday (day 7) to check for signs of life.

I experimented with 7 eggs from 26-30 in a small incubator with no humidity control, I moved them to the new incubator when it arrived and had been warmed up and tested. Yesterday I cracked all the eggs and both 30th eggs had tiny foetus' in them. They must have died after I changed them over, tiny little eye with head and limbs growing about 2-3mm.
The first recorded successful mating was with Romeo and Charlotte on the 29th so wasn't expecting fertile eggs on day 30 the other egg belonged to Venus I think, so the boys must have been getting it right earlier than I thought, lol.

Stupidly I have been adding eggs daily after they were laid this is now 5 days so 40 eggs total, not sure if I can add chicks after 3 days to broodies but hopefully they will hatch quicker having not been stored and still warm when added.
I plan to store for a week at a time now until September/October and hopefully the hens wont be laying over the winter or when broody so none will be wasted and I wont be hand rearing chicks inside until Spring.

Oh yeah, my Friends came home on Wednesday, and after learning their hens are fertile, now only want the chicks and have abandoned their hens with me.
I'm having my God-daughters on Sunday after Church so they can help candle the eggs, but Isabella and Sophia will have to go back (If they go broody I'll have several eggs stored If they don't than they can save their eggs for me to incubate for them for the next week or so as they will still be fertile up to 10-14 days after mating).
I'm happy Charlotte and Venus have moved in with my chicks so they can stay, but I just bought a new coop that has 8 nest boxes and holds 20-25 birds on 5 roost perches measuring 150x150(inc.boxes)x125 high.
Up to 4 of nest boxes can be used as rooster boxes if I add a hinged board with bolt to each on the inside, that was my initial plan before I inherited the older hens.

It will be so much easier integrating them all from 1 coop to the other, but if the other 2 hens stick together, I won't have room for 2 coops. I have a large, sheltered area of my garden, close to the house penned off, treated, re-grassed etc ready for them to move to in September, hopefully all the rigmarole of moving etc they will not notice the new chick integration and removal of the 2 Roosters when I decide which 2 are going. Most of the chicks will be going, just keeping one of each hens' chicks (hopefully 3 girls and a Sophia rooster if possible to breed from), the rest will be going to school, friends etc.

Obviously, I'll keep you posted as to my success rates in both 'making broody' and 'hatch rates' and anything else I can think of.
Yes I still have questions, but am learning more and more every day.
I just search my question in here and read all the posts they generate, much differing and agreeing so I tend to stick with the status quo and then make my own choices/mistakes. I'm a learn by experience kinda girl, but without this site I probably would have given up by now.

Thank you all for just being!
Kymm.

Now PROUD owner/mother of...
4 Lavender Pekin Bantam Roosters/Cockerels
4 Lavender Pekin Bantam Pullets
1 Lavender Pekin Frizzle Pullet
1 Pheasant Pekin Bantam Hen
1 Brown Pekin Bantam Hen
2 Peacock Pekin Bantam Hens?

2 Border Collies
2 Rabbits
2 Gold fish, plus tending my neighbours Carp pond since she went to a home 2 years ago.
2 Daughters
1 Son
and every stray that wonders through my door (mostly human) and more.

 

[kymmandco]

So sad!!!
All but one of my babies were lost to a fox/cat (your ideas on what could have done this, please).
Scenario:-
Headless chicken pulled through the enclosure, door off and fence ripped back (possibly whilst pulling chicken through), all other chickens gone except 1 of my 9, 15 week old babies, Only Charlie one of the 5 pullets survived found hiding in the back of the new coop.
Charlotte my brown hen was found dead in a neighbours garden, not a mark on her, buried herself in a hole under some undergrowth, obviously scared to death.
No other bodies found, no blood surprisingly, just feathers scattered everywhere leading out under the hedgerow. (I know I heard a cockerel crowing a couple of days later so hoping they all survived and have found a new home and are still all together).
I posted on Facebook and friends shared it, also my daughter posted letters through neighbours doors, as well as everyone scouring the neighbourhood (that's how we found Charlotte).
No luck so far, but almost a week later I'm still praying they're okay.

Luckily my 3 other hens were in a separate coop and enclosure in their nesting boxes (they all went broody, see my last post for details).
Venus has 10 eggs under her (8 full of life, 1 possibly dead, 1 only veins and air sack, but left them all under her as I placed all eggs from 3 days under her and have my incubator and spare broody (Sophia???) ready in case any get abandoned after the first ones hatch.
Isabella has 6 under her. I've only candled 3 so far but all look good, she wanted to get straight back on her nest after relieving herself.
Sophia is sitting on ping-pong balls (perfect size for Pekin Bantam eggs and a fraction of the cost).
I have 5 eggs in the incubator due to hatch any day (fingers crossed 1 is a day late, movement detected in float test but no pipping or peeping so far, yes I'm very worried).

Here's a question for anyone with experience...
Can I put these chicks under Sophia even though she's only been sitting for 8 days?
Her chest is still completely feathered and it's getting cold now, especially at night.
Will she except them and be able to keep them warm?
Venus has 5-7 more days to sit, Isabella still has 11 days left, I was thinking Sophia would be used as backup for Venus' or Isabella's abandoned eggs if any and the incubated ones were for Charlotte as she sat 24 days with no babies in the spring and never really got over it becoming bottom of the pecking order.
Now these little chicks are orphaned, so I'm hoping Sophia can be used as a surrogate mum for them.
Please tell me these could be accepted by Sophia after just 8 days sitting. She'll be a first time mum, so obviously I'm worried for her and any babies/eggs under I place under her.

More questions to come, so please someone reply.
I need to go out so have to leave it there for now.
Hopefully, someone will reply here.

Thanks in advance.
Kymm.