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they were all togather because when i got them, we thought they were all hens, & then they became good friends & would cry if one was seperated.
i'd easily prevent a dog attack because the dog that killed Penny is not our dog, we are watching her for a friend for a few days.
I know but Im telling you from experience-the 1-2 hens you have with two roosters will be severly over bred and will get hurt---I did the same thing when I first started -There feathers will all be plucked and pulled out on their backs-their backs will start to bleed and get scabby-not even scabby bloody mess from being over bred-I never let mine get like that-I caught it soon enough but I have seen it time and time again and It breaks my heart for those hens...I was very wrong to put my girls through any of that out of selfishness for my needs. Can you seperate them so that they can see eachother?? leave the 1 roo with the 1-2 hens and the other roo "next door"??? Good thing on the dog situation!
Sonew, you may not have caught that these birds that are all together are only 3.5 months (mentioned in the RIP Penny signature line). At this age, if the chicks have been kept/reared together, they will certainly fret if separated. Their instinct is safety in numbers. In another couple of months it will be necessary to split them up, especially if the cockerels are EE, as I have noticed them getting roosterly much earlier than my Wyandottes, Australorps and Marans. It may even come to rehoming one of the cockerels. For now, I think what remains of the flock will be fine together. If he adds hens to his flock, there may be some chick abuse that goes on, as the hens may assert their dominance over the younger birds. Much depends on the personality of the new birds.
Best of Luck Chickenrandomness, and anyone who has lost a pet chicken to dog or predator sympathizes with your loss.
Now time to get some birds washed.
