Naked Neck/Turken Thread

[Fire Ant Farm]

Oh that sucks.

Don't worry much about introducing a rooster to the hens. A good rooster becomes extremely excited and constantly courts the hens immediately.

The hens can be anything from very wary to outright challenging him. again, a good rooster ignores the challenges and continues to court hard, but it is ok if he gives her a good peck and stops if she backs down immediately. The wary hens will eventually be won over.

Other okay things: if rooster immediately chases and breeds a hen.. but then starts courting after. It is also okay if a hen fights him and he fights back.. as long as he does not try to beat her up after she surrenders.

To be honest, I worry more about introducing new hens to other hens rather than rooster to hens.

I couldn't agree more! Also I find it a lot easier to introduce a hen WITH rooster to flock or a single or more hens to flock that already has rooster.

X 3 ....And in my experience, the more mature the cockerel is when you reintroduce him to the ladies, the more likely he is to court them and woo them before attempting to mate. I had kept my Ameraucana cockerel, Copper, in a lone pen for weeks, and when I finally released him into the yard there was the normal establishing of the pecking order with the other boys, but he was a real Romeo with the girls. I was thrilled when my first flock of girls clearly favored him and invited him to join their coop. He's been devoted to their welfare ever since and continues to be a perfect gentleman.

This is very helpful, everyone! Things have settled down more today and were much quieter - I had forgotten that when you remove chickens, while there is a decompression of crowding, you're still changing the dynamics and pecking order needs to be reestablished (duh!). I am resigned to separate boys from girls as soon as the coop is finished. I do have experience in introducing an older cockerel with established pullets that were about 4 weeks older than him - I adopted a lovely Cream Legbar cockerel named Dumbledore from a breeder (crooked comb, was going to be soup). He was able to watch the three girls from a distance for the 5 weeks he was in quarantine, and then he joined them at 18 weeks. He went from crowing and strutting to cowering as they hen pecked him mercilessly (no injury, didn't keep him from food, just putting him in his place). He had to earn his place with them, but he is now mating (very politely) and crowing and watching for predators when they forage, and the three "wicked witches" have even let him sleep on the top roost with them (though they kick him out of bed temporarily sometimes right before sundown, which is hysterical - he's still pretty whipped). So I can definitely see that introducing a more mature male works better.

How about having more than one male re-introduced together (there will be 6 or 7 pullets)? I was HOPING to have at least 3 (or 4) cockerels, and wondered if more than one could be part of the main flock without courting disaster.

I broke down and ordered some more coop plans online last night - it's a coop that holds up to 6 large chickens that is mostly plywood panels (and a run) that breaks down into flat panels/sections when not in use, so I could build a few for cockerel growing out and set them back up later for breeding pens. The only power tool I don't have yet is a table saw - maybe there's one in my future...

(I got weights today!!! Separate post coming...)

- Ant Farm

 

[DesertChic]

This is very helpful, everyone! Things have settled down more today and were much quieter - I had forgotten that when you remove chickens, while there is a decompression of crowding, you're still changing the dynamics and pecking order needs to be reestablished (duh!). I am resigned to separate boys from girls as soon as the coop is finished. I do have experience in introducing an older cockerel with established pullets that were about 4 weeks older than him - I adopted a lovely Cream Legbar cockerel named Dumbledore from a breeder (crooked comb, was going to be soup). He was able to watch the three girls from a distance for the 5 weeks he was in quarantine, and then he joined them at 18 weeks. He went from crowing and strutting to cowering as they hen pecked him mercilessly (no injury, didn't keep him from food, just putting him in his place). He had to earn his place with them, but he is now mating (very politely) and crowing and watching for predators when they forage, and the three "wicked witches" have even let him sleep on the top roost with them (though they kick him out of bed temporarily sometimes right before sundown, which is hysterical - he's still pretty whipped). So I can definitely see that introducing a more mature male works better.

How about having more than one male re-introduced together (there will be 6 or 7 pullets)? I was HOPING to have at least 3 (or 4) cockerels, and wondered if more than one could be part of the main flock without courting disaster.

I broke down and ordered some more coop plans online last night - it's a coop that holds up to 6 large chickens that is mostly plywood panels (and a run) that breaks down into flat panels/sections when not in use, so I could build a few for cockerel growing out and set them back up later for breeding pens. The only power tool I don't have yet is a table saw - maybe there's one in my future...

(I got weights today!!! Separate post coming...)

- Ant Farm

In my experience, re-introducing more than one cockerel will definitely result in some additional stresses as the boys will not be competing with one another for the girls' affections, but it can be done. Pecking order...pecking order....everyone wants to be the boss.

If you can afford the extra expense, I highly recommend a SawStop table saw. You literally cannot cut off your finger using this saw as it senses the presence of your flesh and immediately stops and drops the blade at something like 4-8Gs, shattering the the cartridge that controls the blade before it can do anything more than nick you. Pretty amazing stuff. You can watch videos about it online. The table saw was the one tool that intimidated me, so I splurged on the best and have never regretted it.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

In my experience, re-introducing more than one cockerel will definitely result in some additional stresses as the boys will not be competing with one another for the girls' affections, but it can be done. Pecking order...pecking order....everyone wants to be the boss.

If you can afford the extra expense, I highly recommend a SawStop table saw. You literally cannot cut off your finger using this saw as it senses the presence of your flesh and immediately stops and drops the blade at something like 4-8Gs, shattering the the cartridge that controls the blade before it can do anything more than nick you. Pretty amazing stuff. You can watch videos about it online. The table saw was the one tool that intimidated me, so I splurged on the best and have never regretted it.

Wow - I will definitely take a look...

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

OK, I didn't get weights last week, but I got weights today (figured out that a small cardboard box on the scale worked better at containing them now that they're bigger). In order to make the graphs work, I had to extrapolate the "missing" week 9 weights (so week 9 weights are calculated, not actual measurements). You can see that the males and females have now very clearly separated.

Bane is on an impressive growth spurt trajectory, and will catch Tank any day now. Interestingly, something spooked them all this evening while I was out there - I realized belatedly that it was me laughing very loudly (well, they were being funny!!!!). I guess it was high pitched and sounded like something threatening. Anyhow, interestingly, only Tank and Bane stayed outside, both on alert - Bane was far out in the paddock on alert, and Tank perched on a concrete block right by the door and took a protective stance. (Dozer ran like a little wuss). I'm watching them all develop, but making note of behaviors like this. Only the lowest ranking males have been bothering the pullets. Still not sure I want a rose comb in my flock, but Bane is so HUGE!!!! Meanwhile, Trinity (all black pullet) is about to catch Mystique as largest pullet - can you imagine a Trinity/Bane cross?! Black and big!!!



- Ant Farm

Edit to add: I almost forgot - Bane is now crowing! I heard someone over the past week or so, but directly observed him this morning. Not the loveliest thing I ever heard, but definitely an attempted crow.

 

[Phill98]

My female is 7 lbs and my boys are 10 and 11 lbs. My biggest Orpington rooster is 16 lbs but it's the NN girls and one of my Silver Ameraucana hens that seem to be the IGs antagonists. As soon as they see any of the dogs near their area they run at them full speed, if the dog doesn't see them, the chasing hen usually gets a nice peck in to remind the dog to stay out of their territory. It lasts for about a week until the dogs forget, they're not the brightest breed but fun to have and little couch potatoes.

Great! Hounds that are not a threat to chickens. And they are beautiful too.

 

[Phill98]

This is very helpful, everyone! Things have settled down more today and were much quieter - I had forgotten that when you remove chickens, while there is a decompression of crowding, you're still changing the dynamics and pecking order needs to be reestablished (duh!). I am resigned to separate boys from girls as soon as the coop is finished. I do have experience in introducing an older cockerel with established pullets that were about 4 weeks older than him - I adopted a lovely Cream Legbar cockerel named Dumbledore from a breeder (crooked comb, was going to be soup). He was able to watch the three girls from a distance for the 5 weeks he was in quarantine, and then he joined them at 18 weeks. He went from crowing and strutting to cowering as they hen pecked him mercilessly (no injury, didn't keep him from food, just putting him in his place). He had to earn his place with them, but he is now mating (very politely) and crowing and watching for predators when they forage, and the three "wicked witches" have even let him sleep on the top roost with them (though they kick him out of bed temporarily sometimes right before sundown, which is hysterical - he's still pretty whipped). So I can definitely see that introducing a more mature male works better. 

How about having more than one male re-introduced together (there will be 6 or 7 pullets)? I was HOPING to have at least 3 (or 4) cockerels, and wondered if more than one could be part of the main flock without courting disaster. 

I broke down and ordered some more coop plans online last night - it's a coop that holds up to 6 large chickens that is mostly plywood panels (and a run) that breaks down into flat panels/sections when not in use, so I could build a few for cockerel growing out and set them back up later for breeding pens. The only power tool I don't have yet is a table saw - maybe there's one in my future...

(I got weights today!!! Separate post coming...)

- Ant Farm 

About keeping that many roosters. I think it will be too much. If you leave more then two roosters with 6-7 hens it will be very hard for girls. My story is : 11 hens and two roosters- just too much. Two of them were chasing each other whole day. Result is really, really stressed hens, broken leg, scratched grandma's backs, no eggs and bloody heads on roosters with winter coming. That's all the bad sides.

The only good sides happened when we got rid of one of them. The one that we left was very calm and nice to us, doing his job and hens that seemed like they wanted to say us thank you.

I don't want to be pessimistic about your case, but on 7 hens I would deffinitely not put more than one roo. You can try with putting two but I think that one rooster with few hens is the best thing you can possibly do.

If you are going to put them in breeding pens with one, two or three pullets then it's another story.

Give it a try, but be prepared for this. If it doesn't happen, great! But if it does, you will be prepared.

One more thing to mention, as cockerels these two were best buddies, but as they matured, things got worse.

 

[chickengr]

ACK!!
Okay, so this morning I moved leghorns inside and turkens back outside. i checked on them at least once an hour cause I was doing laundry and it is outside. No problems for 6 hours. I leave for grocery store for 2 hours and came home to find the smaller one with a bloody nub for a tail. Which means it isn't just the leghorns and I do not know what to do. I haven't taken down my brooder and I had called a wire dog crate into service for the leghorns so I can isolate her for healing. But I am beginning to wonder if it is possible to have just two turkens in a mixed flock. What do you all think? Should I rehome my pretties? I think they may be a roo and hen though not sure of course at this age (5 weeks). I ended up getting Pick No More the other day so I have put some on her poor rear end.

I noticed when I put some iodine there is no more pecking. the chickens don't like iodine!

 

[ChuskaMtns]

My breeding pens have 6 to 8 hens to 1 rooster, I also made sure the girls have enough room to get away should they not want attention from the rooster. There are also bushes planted for them to hide under.
I also had 2 cockerels hatched together, brooded together (under a broody hen), grew up together, but once the hormones kicked in all that brotherly love flew out the window. I found a good home for one and kept the other.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

About keeping that many roosters. I think it will be too much. If you leave more then two roosters with 6-7 hens it will be very hard for girls. My story is : 11 hens and two roosters- just too much. Two of them were chasing each other whole day. Result is really, really stressed hens, broken leg, scratched grandma's backs, no eggs and bloody heads on roosters with winter coming. That's all the bad sides.

The only good sides happened when we got rid of one of them. The one that we left was very calm and nice to us, doing his job and hens that seemed like they wanted to say us thank you.

I don't want to be pessimistic about your case, but on 7 hens I would deffinitely not put more than one roo. You can try with putting two but I think that one rooster with few hens is the best thing you can possibly do.

If you are going to put them in breeding pens with one, two or three pullets then it's another story.

Give it a try, but be prepared for this. If it doesn't happen, great! But if it does, you will be prepared.

One more thing to mention, as cockerels these two were best buddies, but as they matured, things got worse.

Very VERY helpful. So, would it be reasonable to have one flock rooster and then keep two (or three) in a bachelor pad together (away from flock), so I don't have only one rooster that a hawk to take out and leave me without any roosters? (Of course, these have all been raised together... and I would have to watch carefully.) Or should each boy have his own place to live form the start until breeding time? And if I want to breed with a different rooster, is it ok to swap him out in the coop with the flock rooster (who would get a vacation on his own)? (Rather than relocating the girls?) (I would also maybe try smaller numbers of hens in with a rooster in a breeding pen for specific goals, I'm just wondering about options). I have a little time on this, but this helps me know the choices I'm going to have to make - it's so hard, I have such nice pretty cockerels!

Sorry for all the questions. I know I will learn from experience, but I really don't want to learn about something that makes my birds really unhappy (or gets them injured) if I can avoid it by following advice from experienced folks...

- Ant Farm

 

[mymilliefleur]

Remember those two roosters I had trouble choosing between? I compromised and decided to keep both of them.

Pictures to come soon. I think there will be quite a few NN chicks being hatched here this spring....