Maine

[Widget]

Just wanted to say hi to all my fellow Mainers! We live in West Newfield. Getting my first roosters this spring to start hatching my own, rather than buying them elsewhere. I'm a little nervous about having roosters, but hope they will keep the ladies in line, without being mean

I have one roo right now who is great. Not at all aggressive towards people. I also have at least one bantam (either Silkie or Cochin) in the basement set-up who I will say is nice. No idea who is doing the crowing yet but none of the birds in that pen are mean.

 

[country chick13]

Good to know there is hope! I ordered a salmon faverolles, a partridge Cochin, and an Easter egger for roosters. I will have around 48 hens then. Someday hoping to add ducks and goats to the "farm" too, but right now I have a major chicken addiction!

 

[buckabucka]

Just wanted to say hi to all my fellow Mainers! We live in West Newfield. Getting my first roosters this spring to start hatching my own, rather than buying them elsewhere. I'm a little nervous about having roosters, but hope they will keep the ladies in line, without being mean

Welcome country chick! I really like having roosters. I like watching them show the hens where to lay their eggs, their various vocalizations, and their protective role. I have had a few jerky ones that went to the freezer. Do you have more than one flock? I know some people keep more than one rooster in a flock, but I didn't have much luck with that.

 

[country chick13]

Thanks! I am hoping to integrate them all into one flock, but we do have two coops if that doesn't work out if we get an aggressive rooster, he will be dinner but hoping that won't be necessary When I was a kid we raised chickens and had the nastiest rooster, I don't want a repeat of that! I love watching them free range and love how they greet me running to my car when I get home from work and follow me around. They aren't doing much of that now, they refuse to come out of the coop with the snow on the ground. Luckily we have a huge coop, we are planning to cover part of the run this year so they can go out and not worry about the snow.

 

[Widget]

Good to know there is hope! I ordered a salmon faverolles, a partridge Cochin, and an Easter egger for roosters. I will have around 48 hens then. Someday hoping to add ducks and goats to the "farm" too, but right now I have a major chicken addiction!

I said the same thing. I went from just chickens to having ducks, turkeys and a pair of geese. The goats were came into the picture as a rescue. But after losing one last year to old age I had to get the remaining one a companion. Somehow I ended up with two companions for her and two more due to arrive in June/July. The three horses were planned though so I can not blame the so-called chicken/all livestock math on that. Thank goodness I have no interest in cows.

 

[ashandvine]

I thought I only wanted a few chickens but had to check out a bunch and ended up having to have a few for me and a few for kids. Then the ducks were for conservation and meat. Then we tried Muscovies. These ones are much nicer than the ones I have previously met. Maybe this is like the geese phenomenon? We tried turkeys for my son and conservation but they were a distraction really. Now I have my geese and am still trying to figure out how to get rid of more chickens and ducks. I have one buyer of ducks prepaid. I have folks waiting on Marans and geese. Its so easy to see a pretty bird and say, ooh I want that one too, but I am learning to restrain myself.

RE Roosters: Most are nice enough esp if you train them early and imo your Fav will be THE best because he is good with the hens and not dominant at all so watch him with the others or he'll be beaten up badly.

 

[lazy gardener]

Welcome country chick. You have a nice mix of birds.

 

[CoopChick719]

Skunk in the hen house! Skunk in the hen house! Note to self don't fall asleep reading the Murray McMurray catalog and forget to go close the pop door.

 

[buckabucka]

Skunk in the hen house! Skunk in the hen house! Note to self don't fall asleep reading the Murray McMurray catalog and forget to go close the pop door.

 

[Jazor]

Welcome country chick! I really like having roosters. I like watching them show the hens where to lay their eggs, their various vocalizations, and their protective role. I have had a few jerky ones that went to the freezer. Do you have more than one flock? I know some people keep more than one rooster in a flock, but I didn't have much luck with that.

I have two in my flock, but one's a silkie. He tries to puff up and act like a "real" roo but I don't think any of the hens take him seriously. I laugh at him every time he tries to crow, he's probably got pretty low self esteem now. Little bugger.

Good to know there is hope! I ordered a salmon faverolles, a partridge Cochin, and an Easter egger for roosters. I will have around 48 hens then. Someday hoping to add ducks and goats to the "farm" too, but right now I have a major chicken addiction!

Welcome aboard, Country Chick. Sounds like you've got a great mix of birds. There's a ton of information here in the Maine thread--albeit disorganized and filled with our own personal accounts of chicken math.

I thought I only wanted a few chickens but had to check out a bunch and ended up having to have a few for me and a few for kids. Then the ducks were for conservation and meat. Then we tried Muscovies. These ones are much nicer than the ones I have previously met. Maybe this is like the geese phenomenon? We tried turkeys for my son and conservation but they were a distraction really. Now I have my geese and am still trying to figure out how to get rid of more chickens and ducks. I have one buyer of ducks prepaid. I have folks waiting on Marans and geese. Its so easy to see a pretty bird and say, ooh I want that one too, but I am learning to restrain myself.

RE Roosters: Most are nice enough esp if you train them early and imo your Fav will be THE best because he is good with the hens and not dominant at all so watch him with the others or he'll be beaten up badly.

Ash, are you saying you have ducks you want to get rid of? You know how much I like ducks...