Invading neighbor roo!

twobluecrows

Hatching
8 Years
Jan 3, 2012
8
0
7
Hi all, I'm new here, but not new to chickens, we have a small flock of one Black Silkie/Bantam roo of unknown years--though he's at least 6, then we have some americauna crosses--one polish, one barred rock, and two full americaunas that are three years old. They all get along, having been brought in as pullets each year, getting used to each other asnd getting along now. Thr trouble is the four new ones I got as chicks last spring--three buff orpingtons (two red and one yellow) and one yellow and white easter egger.

I raised them separately but visible to the others, in a "nursery" attachment to the main coop, so they could hear and smell and see them all the time, but not peck at them. The older part of the flock are free range, and when the younger bunch were still small, I'd put them outside in a run where they were safe from the bigger ones, but still they all got to see each other.
Once they got to pullet age, we cut a door into the main coop so they would be able to go in there to exit through the main door to the outside in the morning. They still had their own roost in the "nursery", but tended to sleep on the floor.

The new door worked, and they all ended up roosting together in the main coop eventually. They've all laid their eggs in the same nest box as the elders, and eat and drink form the same feeder/waterers. They wander around like the others, but still stay separate, because the other hens will peck at them some.

The real issue is the neighbor's young flashy bantam rooster. He just started coming over to flirt with the youngers, and has managed to steal them away during the day. Our older roo doesn't object. Once in a while, if he gets too close to the older hens the older roo will chase him off, but he doesn't seem to see him making whoopie with the youngers!

Is it his age? Think the four he has still with him are enough for him to handle and he just doesn't care for the youngers?

He tried to hop on them when they are around, but they trot off to the side yard as soon as the usurper shows his fluffy white poof, and flashy comb. They all still come home to roost every night, and still lay in their same nestbox.

What should we do?
 
tell the neighbor to keep their dang rooster off your lawn and next time he comes shoot him
gig.gif
lau.gif


Sorry couldn't resist but I don't have any advice just wanted to do that sorry
 
I am guessing your roo doesn't really see them as 'his.'

and, yeah, it would be nice if your neighbor could confine his roo.

Would maybe locking your roo up with the new ones for a few days do the trick? Just your roo maybe in their nursery pen so the bigger girls can't pick on them, but he can learn to like them.
*shrug* Just a weird thought.
 
LOL--Don't think I haven't thought of that...but he's really a handsome little fellow--and I was sort of thinking that maybe he'd make a good replacement for our old guy if something happens to him...just thinking. But, our old guy is an excellent rooster in all ways except his neglect of the youngers. It's not that he doesn't flirt with them if they are close enough, but they run off after a few nibbles in the feeder and a few gulps of water and head straight for the side yard where the young casanova waits. It's quite a romantic sort of show. I guess as long as they keep coming home to roost, and lay their eggs here, and the roos aren't fighting, I'm not going to worry much.
 
What it all comes down to is are bothered by it. If you don't mind the cross you'll end up with when one of your hens goes to settin, what's the problem. How many hens does the youngster have at home? Then again maybe the owner just doesn't care, so if you like the rooster ask him for it. You keep it up.
smile.png
 
Probably just a matter of time til they start roosting with the stud. If your neighbor will part with him, good. Pen him up in your coop for a few days so he learns a new home. If the neighbor won`t part with him, ya still gotta pen your girls up for a few weeks out of sight of him to break the bond. tricky and a hassle, but that`s what needs to be done.......Pop
 
At this point, I don't much care what comes of the cross, we're happy to have eggs at all, and the older hens are all mixed breeds, as Luke the rooster, and as for the three buff orpingtons, I was hoping for all yellow and got two reds, so...no big deal. We're all just a big motley crew around here!
big_smile.png

I'll try to talk to the neighbor, I haven't seen him in a while, but I have a weird erratic schedule outside the home, so I may have to leave it up to the DH. I don't think he has any hens at all at his place.
We'll see how things go from here.

Thanks for all the input!
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom