Maine

[CoopChick719]

Ok, I have a bit of a question/poll regarding rooster behavior- and if DH is right, or if I am

I love our rooster, he is big and pretty and does his job well. He chased off a hawk the other day, and keeps all the ladies together, finds them bits of food and is not too rough on them. He does, how ever, have a few girls that he does not seem to like as much- the only way you would know this is that sometimes ( not all of the time) when they are around the smaller food bowl, he will peck at one of them until his preferred group has eatten their fill. DH thinks this is just terrible, because they have to wait until him and his faves are done eatting before they can, but I think it's not too major- they still eat, he does not do it all the time, and besides this, he is great......soo....thoughts?!

He is just doing his job. Mine does the same with the food but not the sleeping arrangements.

The preferred girls & the babies get the food dish first. However, the 3 other girls--the cochins--get to roost w/him. This was not the setup until I had to take his favorite into the garage for some TLC and nursing. She was in for about 5 days. When she went back in the coop, the others would not let her up on the roost near the rooster. He also made a little nest--under the nesting boxes--for the hen that hatch the chicks in Feb. I found 4 eggs in there on Monday night.

If it really bothers you, you could put some of the food in a smaller dish for the outcasts. Reminds me of gym class... always being picked last! He's just doing what he was designed to do... showing perference for the hens that he percieives as being preferred breeding stock to provide strong chicks in the next generation.

I like the smaller dish idea. I've got food in the coop & in the pen so the cochins eat in the coop mostly. I know, LazyG, I was always smaller AND (gasp) a girl so I was not always last but **** close to it. Regardless of the fact that I grew up with mostly boys in my family and liked to best them at anything we did.

It's not me that it bothers- it's husband, haha! They have one bowl outside, and one inside- maybe I will put two outside so DH will quit his complaining- I tried saying that it was just chicken behavior, and that other than that, he is an awesome rooster....but apparently someone is a little protective of our chickens!

Awwww...tell DH I think that's sweet he's worried about the other girls!

The babies are getting big! Lots of personality! Chipmunk, the EE, and Flacco, the BR we think is a roo, always greet me at the pen door.

I'll post more pics soon.

 

[Carrie54452002]

I so want some midget whites!!!!

Set some eggs in the bator today, keep your fingers crossed for me! Lf cochins, teenie tiny seramas, and some mixes from my flock.

I am super excited to see about the seramas!!

 

[longgrove]

Well, the 2 Isbar roos have acheved a state of detant. Interestingly, the 9 month old Splash roo is dominant to the 2 year old blue roo. They both crow, if one does, the other has to and neither wants to let the other "have the last crow." So... once they start, it goes on for awhile, lol.

The blue roo keeps the 2 Isbar hens with him, esp outside, and roosts with them on a small separate roost. They are joined by Bertha, my Wyandotte/Cochin hen who is even bigger than the roos and can roost wherever she wants. She has beautiful blue markings (every silver feather laced with charcoal and the darker hackle feathers are laced with black around dark blue grey.) I have noticed before that in a mixed flock, the chickens seem to pal around with thise who resemble them, even if they all grew up together, Has anyone else found that to be true?

The splash deems himself the boss of who eats from the treat bowl and in what order, like Mainechick's roo. He doesn't like the Hamberg hen who was boss of the flock before the roos came (she will not let him mate, tho he keeps trying, she has some missing feathers on her head and upper hackle). Although the other Hampberg hen is submissive, he seems to associate her with the boss hen. He sometimes will give them a small precise peck at the top of their wings when the treats are set down until he and his favorites have eaten. (There is plenty for all, they can all get their fill eventually.)

My mallest pullet, a tiny red/gold bantam Wyandotte, was staying in one of the nest boxes and having a fit when the eggs were collected or other hens jumped in with her, so I set her up in the large dog crate in the corner with her own water and food and she has been glued to the nest (I gave her a couple of Silkie, and some Isbar and a few of Berthas eggs, 11 in all) she seems happy to be able to set without having her eggs "stolen" or being bothered by the other chickens. (The splash roo seems to like to visit the hens in the laying boxes, They are roomy, I use 2 of those covered boxes designed for cat litter.) She seems to be keeing all the eggs warm. With luck, perhaps we will have chicks by late April.

 

[lazy gardener]

Well, the 2 Isbar roos have acheved a state of detant. Interestingly, the 9 month old Splash roo is dominant to the 2 year old blue roo. They both crow, if one does, the other has to and neither wants to let the other "have the last crow." So... once they start, it goes on for awhile, lol.

The blue roo keeps the 2 Isbar hens with him, esp outside, and roosts with them on a small separate roost. They are joined by Bertha, my Wyandotte/Cochin hen who is even bigger than the roos and can roost wherever she wants. She has beautiful blue markings (every silver feather laced with charcoal and the darker hackle feathers are laced with black around dark blue grey.) I have noticed before that in a mixed flock, the chickens seem to pal around with thise who resemble them, even if they all grew up together, Has anyone else found that to be true?

The splash deems himself the boss of who eats from the treat bowl and in what order, like Mainechick's roo. He doesn't like the Hamberg hen who was boss of the flock before the roos came (she will not let him mate, tho he keeps trying, she has some missing feathers on her head and upper hackle). Although the other Hampberg hen is submissive, he seems to associate her with the boss hen. He sometimes will give them a small precise peck at the top of their wings when the treats are set down until he and his favorites have eaten. (There is plenty for all, they can all get their fill eventually.)

My mallest pullet, a tiny red/gold bantam Wyandotte, was staying in one of the nest boxes and having a fit when the eggs were collected or other hens jumped in with her, so I set her up in the large dog crate in the corner with her own water and food and she has been glued to the nest (I gave her a couple of Silkie, and some Isbar and a few of Berthas eggs, 11 in all) she seems happy to be able to set without having her eggs "stolen" or being bothered by the other chickens. (The splash roo seems to like to visit the hens in the laying boxes, They are roomy, I use 2 of those covered boxes designed for cat litter.) She seems to be keeing all the eggs warm. With luck, perhaps we will have chicks by late April.

my birds also appear to be clique'y. The 3 BSL and 2RIR that hatched hang out together, the 3 Doms are a tight knit group, and the 3 Araucanas, kind of hang out in a looser group. A fair amount of sparring going on.

 

[buckabucka]

Mainechick, I have one rooster that seems very laid back about who eats first, although he will break up fights between the hens, and in another pen, I have a rooster, that is not as kind to certain hens. I always thought it was because I have two roosters in that pen, and the low-on-the -pecking-order hens are associated with the submissive roo. Either way, if I am providing treats, I divide it up and put at least 2 dishes in each pen. For day-to-day eating, I don't worry about it, as everyone seems to have access to the feed.

pelletpeterson, in the past, I have put an Ecoglow outside with the chicks when I moved them at 4 weeks, but unless it is very cold, I find they don't use or need it. Once they feather out, they are pretty tough.

My chicks are almost 3 weeks, and I am eager to get them out of here soon. This year, they are in a much smaller room upstairs and the dust is incredible. The good news, DH is constructing a small tractor that will have sections for a brooder and slightly larger quarters for growing out birds. I won't have to set up my patchwork fence on the front of my carport. The bad news, this tractor won't be done for a while, so I may cram the growing chicks in the back section of the regular coop. They are too dusty to keep in here more than another week or so.

 

[Mainechick168]

Thanks for the insight on my rooster question

. CoopChick, I'll make sure to tell J you think it's cute...you know, he also kisses them on the head when he shuts them in for the night....

I'm sure glad it's raining right now and not snowing!!

 

[lazy gardener]

Mainechick, I have one rooster that seems very laid back about who eats first, although he will break up fights between the hens, and in another pen, I have a rooster, that is not as kind to certain hens. I always thought it was because I have two roosters in that pen, and the low-on-the -pecking-order hens are associated with the submissive roo. Either way, if I am providing treats, I divide it up and put at least 2 dishes in each pen. For day-to-day eating, I don't worry about it, as everyone seems to have access to the feed.

pelletpeterson, in the past, I have put an Ecoglow outside with the chicks when I moved them at 4 weeks, but unless it is very cold, I find they don't use or need it. Once they feather out, they are pretty tough.

My chicks are almost 3 weeks, and I am eager to get them out of here soon. This year, they are in a much smaller room upstairs and the dust is incredible. The good news, DH is constructing a small tractor that will have sections for a brooder and slightly larger quarters for growing out birds. I won't have to set up my patchwork fence on the front of my carport. The bad news, this tractor won't be done for a while, so I may cram the growing chicks in the back section of the regular coop. They are too dusty to keep in here more than another week or so.

How big is your tractor, and is it going to be on skids or are you using wheels. I need to do a wheel assembly for my 8 x 8 cattle panel tractor, have 10" pneumatic "type" wheels (4) for it, but not sure how we'll end up doing the wheels to allow them to "drop down" for moving, and raise up when it's parked. If any of you out there have done a similar design, please chime in with your wisdom!!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I put most of my chicks outside around 5-6 weeks. In winter. No heat lamp. They are fine.

Edited to add they are generally more hardy than you think. I only keep the heat lamp on them for about 10 days, indoors until they get a significant portion of feathers. The temp is between 50 and 60 in my basement in the winter. They are absolutely fine. This nonsense about 95 degrees for the first week and then decrease by 5 degrees every week... I did that the first time I raised chicks then I got smarter about it after watching my broodies raise chicks in the coop in the middle of winter.

 

[Keric]

Ok...so I am considering getting 2 or 3 guineas this spring. No other reason other than tick control and fowl entertainment I guess. I have about 10 acres and very chicken/ fowl tolerant neighbors in the country. Besides their noise has anyone had any negative issues (or even positive for that matter) with them? Is their feed the same and would I still have to supplement their feed in the summer time? My other concern is homing them. I was planning on getting established birds and was told (I think by hoppy) that they may not home like chickens if they are older? I was planning on keeping them cooped up for a week or so then let em have at it. My flock of chickens is completely free range so I'm wondering if they might just follow them into the coop if they go in at all at night. Anyone have thoughts?

I have never had any guineas. I did read somewhere, maybe Backyard Poultry, that getting them to come home can be hard. They said that guineas don't like to be alone and that you can use that to your advantage to train them. What you do is let out half and leave the other half inside. I am not sure if they have to be able to see each other or just be able to hear each other. The point is that the ones inside keep them near and the ones outside have incentive to come in at night. Of course these would already have to be bonded I am guessing. If they are anything like turkeys they will learn real fast where to roost. I needed to train my turkeys like this. I would for sure keep them cooped up for a week or so regardless. Maybe if you let them out of the coop but not the fence at first so they can't roam to far and then maybe "let em have at it". I think guineas are good flyers and that is a problem because they can roost high up in a tree. Not sure.

 

[Keric]

Please tell me we are not getting any more snow!!! I so need to finish our coop so I can get the chicks outside...I am at around 4 weeks as a chicken owner, they are feathering out nicely, and getting cranky in their rabbit cage confines. Can anyone tell this rookie when is a good time to put them outside? Do you heat or not? I have read about the light during the shorter days to help the hens lay, I would love some pointers...help if you can!

Thank you!

When they are fully feathered it is said that they can withstand the cold of the outside. Of course they need shelter from the rain so they don't get chilled. Also I wouldn't object to getting them used to the cold a little first. Maybe move the rabbit cage outside a few times. Oh yeah and a none drafty place is critical.