Is the behavior in my coop "normal"?

[ThinkingChickens]

I'd go down to two roos tops for that small of a flock. I'm betting the crowing would drop dramatically. We don't have a ton of roosters in town, but all along the outskirts of town (we are rural) are flocks and I've never seen more than two roosters. I also don't hear all that much crowing. LOL Hope you can choose your favorites. Sounds like the Maran is a keeper.

 

[seminolewind]

Everyone's in adolescence or so. My roosters all started out by crowing alot, and gradually they did not crow all day, and they crow less when they are a couple years old. Young silkie roos are weird. I personally think silkies do better on their own. I started with 3 silkies, 2 roos and a hen and never had a problem. I have 9 now. They are a very close little family.

You might want to house your silkies separate. And then remove any roo in the main flock who starts trouble or draws blood.

 

[ketcham]

I had 2 roosters crowing,,,,,,one was getting mean.Got the chopping block.Lot quietier now.haha!!! Kevin

 

[slurrywidow]

Thank you all for the advice. I was wondering if having so many roos was part of the crowing issue...competition crowing. Sounds like that may be it. I will also get rid of 2 of the roos for sure. I finally put the nasty silkie in a dog crate last night and today put him in my fenced garden all by himself.

Anybody have any advice on the 3 pullets that rarely come down off of the roost? This morning I opened the pop door, shooed everyone outside and then closed the door again. I pulled the 3 off the roost and set them by the food and they ate and drank for about 20 minutes like they were starving. When they were done I opened the door back up and as soon as a roo came in they went back up on the roost and that's where they will stay for the day. Anything I should/can do about that?

 

[ThinkingChickens]

Do they have a nice shady spot outside of the coop? That's a tough one because I don't suspect they are broody as they are roosting. Hey, I'm a homebody too so I hear them!

 

[wowmanacat]

I had two hens and a roo and I had to break the family up for the roo was really hurting my hens. I would separate roos form hens for a bit of time so the hens can rest and heal if the roos have been ruff with them. It took my one hen a month to recover and start laying again after I split them up. My roo has now been killed by something out side the coop.

 

[ditto]

i had to laugh at Stormylady's reply. it's true, even with human teenage boys, the more ya got, the louder they are!

 

[tiki244]

Maybe if the roos are separate the hens will eventually get the idea that it is safe to come down. My hens were doing that and then I found one with a 3 inch hole ripped in her back from roos treading on her. It took several months and me getting rid of some roos to get her healed. She is just now growing feathers back in.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
I have 3 like that. Since they had seniority in my flock (one of my first hatches), I moved the roo and the 2 hens that were attacking them. Now they are pretty much normal.

My first silkie roo was nasty and he responded to behavior modification in a week. Then we were best friends.

 

[slurrywidow]

Thanks again all. It's so nice to get advice from people who have experience.

They aren't broody (I'm pretty sure) as they haven't started laying yet. No one in that coop has. No one even looks at the nests....but that'll hopefully change soon.

The 3 EE girls spent all day on the roost again today except for when I shut everyone out again this evening and put them down by the food. Mr. Nasty Silkie is no longer an issue...wink wink. I haven't seen either of the other two crowing boys bother them and I checked today for any wounds and found nothing. I don't know why they seem so afraid of the 2 boys unless some nastyness has gone on when I haven't been around. It was just the silkie that I saw being just horrible.

They do have shade outside and up until a few days ago they would go out there now and again. I'm going to keep a close eye on them, with the warm weather I worry about them not getting enough water. I'm also thinking about letting them out to free range with my older girls. Maybe that would help. We'll see.

Again, I appreciate all the help and ideas. Thank you!!