New to forums and new to chickens with a question:)

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CluckCluckChoo

CluckCluckChoo

In the Brooder
5 Years
Nov 26, 2014
40
1
26
California
Hey there! I'm pretty stoked to be a member of these forums now with all you fine folks! After several years of wanting to I've finally started a flock of my own. About a week ago a friend asked my mom and I to take in a cockeral before he started crowing, she lives in town and wouldn't be able to keep him. I think he might be an easter egger. Not sure really what he is! But today we got him some lovely 2 month old Brahma friends from a really nice lady on Craigslist. I picked 4 out and hoped to get all pullets but we got them home and in the pen with our cockeral and he's singled the dark Brahma out for some reason and he keeps attacking it. The other 3 he just seems to try and mount by pecking at the backs of their necks. But the poor dark one, which is the smallest, he just chases it like he's out for bloody murder! So now we have it in a crate by itself in the pen. I'm wondering, does that mean that the dark Brahma is perhaps male and my cockeral knows and is trying to take out the competition? Any ideas on what I should do? Toying with the idea of taking the Brahma back and seeing if the seller would exchange it with another.
Thanks in advance!
 
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! You might want to post pictures of the new birds in the What Breed/Gender forum for help with figuring out what you have. https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/15/what-breed-or-gender-is-this It doesn't mean the new bird is a cockerel, it may just be your roo feels safest beating up the smallest bird. When you add new birds it is best to have a long period of the two sets being able to see each other but no touching, through wire seem to work best, ie dividing the coop into two sections or keeping one set in a cage inside the coup for a couple of weeks to a month at least. The chickens will get to know each other and sort of work out a pecking order before actually coming in contact with each other. After a week or two, letting them free range together is a good idea and should help... It will take a couple of weeks to get the pecking order sorted out. There is a nice article in the Learning Center on integrating flocks you might like to check out, the part about actually combining them is after the quarantine section https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock
 
Thanks! And he's already picked out his favorite too, love at first sight I suppose
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Welcome to BYC! Glad you decided to join our flock. Kelsie2290 has given you some good advice. You need to get more hens if you intend to keep that cockerel. The recommended ratio of roosters to hens is 1 rooster for every 10 hens. Too many roosters will be very aggressive on your hens; over-breeding them, biting and plucking the feathers from their necks and backs, battering them, and potentially seriously injuring them. The only reason you really need a rooster is to fertilize eggs for hatching, and 1 rooster can easily handle 10 hens in that regard. I currently have 25 hens and no roosters, and I get loads of eggs without all the aggression, fights, crowning in the middle of the night, biting and feather plucking, over-breeding and battering that goes along with having roosters (especially too many). My hens are stress free and enjoying life without a rooster. Another important question is do your chickens have enough coop space. The recommended minimum floor area for the coop is 4 sq. ft. per bird (more is better), and if they are kept in an enclosed run, the minimum recommended ground area for the run is 10 sq. ft. per bird (again more is better). Over-crowding quickly leads to aggression, fights, biting and feather plucking, and even serious injuries. Please feel free to ask any other questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck in solving your rooster problem.
 
They should have enough room, and I plan on getting more chickens in the spring from the same seller, she should have Jersey giants hopefully.
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Our cockeral is only 4-5 months old though according to our friend, but he's big!
 
Welcome to BYC
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You got some good advice here. Best of luck with your new venture!
 

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