- 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?
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?