Maine

[dowgirl71]

Handsome boy, Coopchick!

 

[lazy gardener]

Missions trip. We send a group over every 2 - 3 years to work with a local pastor. He has a mission based in Guatemala City, and goes out into the villages to work with the children. He does feeding programs, basic health care, education regarding sanitation, teaches from the Bible, etc. This will be my first trip. I'm hoping to be able to focus on teaching Lasagna style raised bed gardening and chicken tractor management.

 

[CoopChick719]

Thank you! He's only 7 months old.

 

[CoopChick719]

Missions trip. We send a group over every 2 - 3 years to work with a local pastor. He has a mission based in Guatemala City, and goes out into the villages to work with the children. He does feeding programs, basic health care, education regarding sanitation, teaches from the Bible, etc. This will be my first trip. I'm hoping to be able to focus on teaching Lasagna style raised bed gardening and chicken tractor management.

Very cool!! My Son's National Guard unit was there last summer for 2 weeks building a school. He said the children & women were very friendly and appreciative that they were there. He said the men... not so much! Please be careful! My son said there was a lot of gang violence where they were.

 

[buckabucka]

Ragnar looks quite content in his garage home. Pretty rooster!

I'm thinking about getting rid of my lavender Ameraucana rooster. He's very nice to people and the hens, but I can't get him to accept newcomers. I tried three young pullets last year, in the coop but fenced off. He ran at that pen like a bull, chest bumping and trying to fight them. I put those birds in with a different flock, where the GCM rooster was very accepting and protective of them.

Last this winter, those same three birds were getting overmated by the GCM, with bald backs that started a picking frenzy. So I sectioned off an area with the lavender roo again (the bald pullets are lavender) and this time the lavender roo danced at the fence, which I thought was a good sign. After a week, I released them. There have been some expected battles between the hens, but the rooster is attacking them. Not mating, but running at them and pecking at their heads and backs, chasing them off. They are not really able to eat or drink much because they are hiding and running for cover.

What's up with that? Has anyone ever had a rooster that will not accept any newcomers? He is a great rooster in most ways, but he wants a closed flock.
I plan to move the poor beat up lavenders back to their old flock. If I hatch a beautiful rooster this year, I'm thinking the lavender roo will be headed for the freezer.

 

[Cknldy]

If you can- try moving the roo out for about a week. Introduce the newcomers to the rest of 'his' flock. If all goes well on that end then reintroduce the roo. If he is removed long enough it is no longer HIS territory thus giving the girls time to join the flock. When reintroduced it is the girls' territory so perhaps he'll have to cool it a bit. Or if you have a coop/area that is no ones territory yet you could put all of them in at the same time. Good luck with integration

 

[buckabucka]

If you can- try moving the roo out for about a week. Introduce the newcomers to the rest of 'his' flock. If all goes well on that end then reintroduce the roo. If he is removed long enough it is no longer HIS territory thus giving the girls time to join the flock. When reintroduced it is the girls' territory so perhaps he'll have to cool it a bit. Or if you have a coop/area that is no ones territory yet you could put all of them in at the same time. Good luck with integration

Thanks Cknldy, that's a great idea. Unfortunately, I did not read your post until evening, and I already moved the newcomers back to their old flock next door. I have them sectioned off still, since they've been missing for 11 days. I'll probably leave them captive until this weekend. I must say they look very happy to be back in familiar territory, despite their captivity.

If I decide to keep this strange rooster and need to add more birds, I'll try taking the rooster out for a bit next time.

 

[lazy gardener]

Very cool!! My Son's National Guard unit was there last summer for 2 weeks building a school. He said the children & women were very friendly and appreciative that they were there. He said the men... not so much! Please be careful! My son said there was a lot of gang violence where they were.

Yes. We'll be going as a group, and will always be paired off with other group members. There will always be mission folks in attendance where ever we are working as well. Gangs are a huge issue. But, this fellow has been working with the children for over 10 years, and has seen a huge reduction in gang activity with his efforts. The children are being taught that there is a better way, and it is really making a change in the local society.

 

[CoopChick719]

That's great! Nice to hear his efforts are helping!

 

[CoopChick719]

DH graciously

"encouraged" a log out of the snow so Ragnar (the rooster) could have something to roost on besides his feeder. He was quite upset that I had modified the feeder so he couldn't sit on it!! I put him on top of the stump & told him all the good qualities of the stump. I said Good Night & shut off the lights andddd he jumped down.

He squawked at me and went to sit by his food dish...grumbling. I also gave him a dusting box last night filled with potting soil, peat moss & a little DE sprinkle in it. This morning he was taking a bath & having a grand time!! I hope I've made amends with him!