Mixing Breeds in the Flock

[SillyRooster]

Just curious, does your rooster ever tear up the backs of the hens when mounting them?  I suspect most of the problem I had was due to having more than one rooster.  I know you can remove the spurs if necessary.

Our other rooster Bo is tough on his flock. They all have bare-ish necks & he tore up their back feathers.

So we bought these Hen Savers to protect their backs.

 

[gpeters3]

Mine are all recovered now. As much as I enjoy the crowing (neighbors probably don't) and the strutting and roosters are usually more colorful and bigger, I really don't want to deal with that again and my grandson was struck in the face 3 times before I could intervene which prompted me to butcher all three, immediately. Fortunately he put his arm up and protected his face and only got one cut, a deep one in his arm. I'm content now just to go to the store and get a few now and then to keep the flock up and all the hens are easy on the kids and most will eat out of their hands which excites them a lot.

 

[ShrekDawg]

It won't really be necessary. I left the old coop open to the run and never lost any birds to predation. It's just something I'm thinking about. Here are some pics of where the run will be: I already moved a truck load of stone and concrete block and loaded the truck for a run to the dump. This is what's left of the mess. The run will go along the back wall of the barn, 9' wide by 32' long to the end of the barn so I will have an access door at the end of the barn and can simply set the posts, nail on the headers and throw the wire over it. The old run was concrete so I will have to consider ways to protect the bottom of the fence from digging etc. otherwise it will be a piece of cake If I get real ambitious I might pour a foundation along the fence line and later, if I make it into a shed, I can just pour the floor (piece of cake) Been doing this kind of stuff since I was 12. Built the barn myself and hired a backhoe to dig my hole for my auto lift and paid a crew to do the floor. Everything else I did myself with help from friends and family. It was my first pole barn and made a lot of mistakes but it works Before we put the nailers on I had the diagonal measurement at the top of the posts less than an inch off. After climbing all over them doing the nailers and headers it was a little over 3" off. I was really disappointed. Barn is 30 x 48.

That makes sense. I would leave my door open but I'm nervous hah maybe in the new, more secure, coop and run. And wow that's awesome!! I don't think I ever could build something like that ha

 

[redsix]

It won't really be necessary. I left the old coop open to the run and never lost any birds to predation. It's just something I'm thinking about. Here are some pics of where the run will be: I already moved a truck load of stone and concrete block and loaded the truck for a run to the dump. This is what's left of the mess.






The run will go along the back wall of the barn, 9' wide by 32' long to the end of the barn so I will have an access door at the end of the barn and can simply set the posts, nail on the headers and throw the wire over it. The old run was concrete so I will have to consider ways to protect the bottom of the fence from digging etc. otherwise it will be a piece of cake If I get real ambitious I might pour a foundation along the fence line and later, if I make it into a shed, I can just pour the floor (piece of cake) Been doing this kind of stuff since I was 12. Built the barn myself and hired a backhoe to dig my hole for my auto lift and paid a crew to do the floor. Everything else I did myself with help from friends and family. It was my first pole barn and made a lot of mistakes but it works Before we put the nailers on I had the diagonal measurement at the top of the posts less than an inch off. After climbing all over them doing the nailers and headers it was a little over 3" off. I was really disappointed. Barn is 30 x 48.

I put a strand of electric fence around the bottom of my run. I dare an animal to try and get in.

 

[gpeters3]

All of my coops and runs have had concrete floors til now, the new one will be dirt so i will have to add a new strategy. Electic fence is probably effective but someone will get into it, im sure. (Probably me). I will probably use galvanized hardware cloth along with a wolmanized 2x8 which runs along the bottom and is partially buried but not deep enough to ensure no digging. I was tempted to add another board but thats a lot of work and may not be as effective as buried hardware cloth in the area near the fence where they most likely will try to dig. Both wolmanized wood and galvanized wire will eventually rot. Wonder which one lasts longest? Out building code requires a 4x24 inch deep "rat wall" to prevent undermining the floor. Best solution is probably a concrete footer which ill need anyway if i ever pour a floor. My building inspector said an 8x18 would be better due to frost damage cracking a thinner wall and is roughly the same amount of concrete so thats how i did my barn. Only digger around here that will go deeper is a woodchuck. If i get any more of them ill get a good pellet gun

 

[Hamp]

This is my new roo

 

[Amary123]

Hello! I have a question, I currently have two 7 week old Rhode Island Reds. I just bought 2 new 1 week old chicks, 1 Barred Rock and 1 Rhode Island Red. Would my Barred Rock get bullied when she gets older because her feathers are a different color? If that's the case should I buy another Barred rock? My two 7 week old RIR haven't had any experiences with different colored chickens except for when they were at the hatchery.

 

[Phoenixxx]

Hello! I have a question, I currently have two 7 week old Rhode Island Reds. I just bought 2 new 1 week old chicks, 1 Barred Rock and 1 Rhode Island Red. Would my Barred Rock get bullied when she gets older because her feathers are a different color? If that's the case should I buy another Barred rock? My two 7 week old RIR haven't had any experiences with different colored chickens except for when they were at the hatchery.

possibly. IME, chickens have a tendency to be "racist"; as in, specific breeds or colours will stick to their own like groups. However, at 7 weeks, your elders are likely to be a lot more open and may not give a poop. Only way to know is to try.

 

[Amary123]

possibly. IME, chickens have a tendency to be "racist"; as in, specific breeds or colours will stick to their own like groups. However, at 7 weeks, your elders are likely to be a lot more open and may not give a poop. Only way to know is to try.

Okay! Thank you so much! I have another question (1st time chicken owner) When should I introduce my 7 weeks to my 1 weeks?

 

[Phoenixxx]

Okay! Thank you so much! I have another question (1st time chicken owner) When should I introduce my 7 weeks to my 1 weeks?

That would depend on the character of the older chicks. If they're easy going and they have plenty of space, they could do well together. If one or more is a bully the young ones could get injured or killed. The other risk would be trampling if they all decide to crowd into the same corner or if they haven't enough space. The only way to know is to put them together and observe, though i'D personally wait another week or two.