I've hit a snag.

[Chickassan]

Ok roost time tonight was beyond the usual thunderdome event it usually is. The delaware bit a faverolles which made me have to pick up the faverolles to put her in the coop,faverolles acted like I was killing her this set the cockrel off no big deal. Now I figured since the dom became an official laying hen maybe it was time for her to roost in the coop, she didn't want to be put in the carrier so I gave it a shot....mistake. The other hens freaked out, pretty much cowered, the cockrel jumped down and immediately started Don Juan mode.I shoved the dom in the carrier and shut the coop absolutely baffled once again. The hens are terrified of the dom even though they see her all day.The cockrel wants the dom but he can't catch her.The dom wants nothing to do with the cockrel even though she's maturing. What in the world? Do y'all think it will be fine and dandy once the cockrel actually catches her? That's the only difference between her and any of the other hens. I'm not going to do anything, I mean anything worth having is worth working for. This has been the strangest integration ever, I don't have to worry about her getting beat up but the man issues are beyond unexpected. What do I do? Get him some track shoes? Start feeding her bon bons? I'm at a loss, which isn't unusual for me

 

[Cntry1958]

Wow sounds like you had one heck of a night getting them together to go in to roost tonight. I hope someone can answer this for you on what can help them out. Best of luck with your flock.

 

[Chickassan]

Well bless your heart, honestly I don't think there is an answer this is probably one of those things that just has to play out and I just have to make sure nobody gets killed.

Wow sounds like you had one heck of a night getting them together to go in to roost tonight. I hope someone can answer this for you on what can help them out. Best of luck with your flock.

 

[aart]

So you've got a bunch of young birds and you added the dom?
Cockerels can be a PITA.
Can't offer a solution without more info.
Number, ages, genders of all birds.
Size of coop/run in feet by feet...pics a valuable bonus.

 

[Chickassan]

Nope not a bunch of young birds, three hens a year and a half old and two pullets nearing five months I assume the dom is around five months as well. Cockrel is surprisingly well behaved at five months. Coop is 6x8x8 two sections so nobody has to be anywhere they don't want to be. Nobody is aggressive at all that's what is stumping me.The older hens are indeed establishing pecking order will the two pullets but the reaction to the dom is really an oddity.Have to add run is a non factor, all birds forage on an acre from 7 to 7 with free choice crumbles at their disposal. So I'm only dealing with six females half mature half still working on it and one male that is only about the size of a basketball but is practising behavior I approve of at his age. I rack this up to the mature hens showing him what's tolerated and what isn't.

 

[aart]

Is the dom a new addition or just the first to lay?
Onset of lay causes a change in pecking order,
should smooth out once the pullets are all laying.
Cockerel may be just be reacting to the pecking order change of the girls.

 

[Chickassan]

Dom is a new unexpected addition as well as being the first to lay among the pullets. I acquired the dom a few days before the eclipse had blood and fecals run after she was cleared I put her in an integration pen. This lasted about a week, upon release there was the usual posturing except the head hen carried it further and picked up a nice comb bite from the dom.So you might be spot on about the order reshuffling.

 

[aart]

So you might be spot on about the order reshuffling.

Yeah.....due to a new bird more than anything IMO, and a young cockerel still learning the ropes..... chaotic no doubt, just keep juggling!

 

[Chickassan]

I will, done it before although this is a totally different trip. I was set for feather pulling and a wee bit of bloodshed, not quite what I got but I'll take this over that anytime.

 

[Chickassan]

Well tonight was the night, I put Hobo in the coop loose with the others she can't sleep in a crate forever. I tried putting her on the side with the faverolles, no dice immediate pecking followed by faverolles whining. So over to the mature side she goes, still a little pecking but she's much more subdued my guess is it's because the cockrel sleeps over there and he's the only one who doesn't fear her. She's been running with the flock successfully for a good week and a half now but still dosent give the poor cockrel the time of day. I'll have to get up early tomorrow morning to see what's transpired. She's probably not going to be happy with me at all I just can't baby one chicken forever. And it's not like she's getting picked on, heck if anything the other hens looked concerned.