Introducing the Ideal Dozen

[Hermits Garden]

I just found and read this whole thread. Not having my own chickens yet, it was both a vicarious pleasure and an education. Thank you. Hope all are well, and Ludwig has a contended harem of hens. Cheers!

 

[3KillerBs]

I just found and read this whole thread. Not having my own chickens yet, it was both a vicarious pleasure and an education. Thank you. Hope all are well, and Ludwig has a contended harem of hens. Cheers!

Thank you. I'm glad you found it helpful.

I have not yet seen Ludwig attempt to mate but his crow is improving (he now sounds like Tarzan instead of like a dying donkey), and he has started to show some rooster-ish behaviors like standing between the flock and perceived danger (aka water hoses or me throwing bedding).

 

[3KillerBs]

An interesting behavior,

Since I put the integration pen in for the 25(26), From Welp, I have had several of this group sleeping on the top of the pen instead of on either the main roosts or the juvenile roost.

It's the lower-ranked pullets -- mainly the Cochins.

Plus Ludwig.

I guess that as a late-maturing breed he's still very much a young boy in the hens' and older pullets' eyes so he's not welcome up on the main perches yet.

 

[3KillerBs]

Yes, I could see better this morning. The ones roosting apart are Ludwig, the Black Langshan; Sesame, his breed-sister; and the three Silver-Laced Cochins.

The Cuckoo Club -- 3 Dominiques and 3 French Cuckoo Marans -- are roosting with the adults and the Splits up on the main roost. That's almost odd, actually, because the Marans aren't laying yet though the Dominiques seem to have started (at this point I'm not sure who is and isn't laying, but I've caught Dominiques sitting in the boxes).

 

[3KillerBs]

Ludwig is now feeling his first flush of hormones.

I had just let them out and was going back in when I heard a ruckus of affronted squawking. I turned around just in time to see Ludwig let go of one of the Dominique pullets.

That's the first time I've seen him attempt to mate. I know that it's likely to be rough for a while but I'm encouraged that he both choose a pullet who is definitely laying and that he let go and let her go when she protested vigorously instead of squatting.

I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high about him because I know he could change in a flash, but his behavior has looked good so far.

 

[3KillerBs]

And today I saw him dancing for one of the pullets.

She wasn't impressed, but he was trying.

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm not 100% sure, but the last 2 pullets who weren't laying, Alfredo the Silver-Laced Cochin and Sesame the Black Langshan, *may* have started. I got a small, bloody, light-brown egg the other day and have had a few very small, medium-brown eggs this past week.

I haven't caught either of them in the nestbox yet, but I am suspicious.