- Apr 23, 2011
- 7
- 0
- 7
Hello! This is my first real post here (other than my introduction a few weeks ago). I've done a search of the forum but there's so much information to sift through that I was a bit overwhelmed and I couldn't find my problem being addressed so here I am.
We're raising chickens for the first time. We have three hens: one RIR and 2 black Austrolorps. We used to have a Silver-laced Wyandotte but one of my dogs killed her when she was four weeks old. I was so disappointed because it was our Great Pyrenees who did it. I would have expected one of our other dogs to go after the chickens but not her. Anyway, the new rule is when the dog is out, the chickens are in and vice versa. My other two dogs aren't interested in eating the chickens. In fact our Rottie is the one who alerts me when the GP goes after them and runs to fend her off. Good dog! Of course, he's really interested in getting their treats.
Because of that and because of the amount of predators we have around here we decided to get a rooster. The only one I could find on such short notice was a four month-old Black Copper Marans, who is gorgeous, BTW. My chickens will be nine weeks old tomorrow* but the lady who sold him to me said their age difference shouldn't matter. I was worried he might try to mate with them too soon**. I'm not interested in breeding but I figure chickens will be chickens eventually. The integration went well and they accepted him just fine. The first week my girls seemed happy to have him around. This week is different. My RIR, Lucy, had been the dominant chicken, but the past few days she's been... depressed. The other two are also pretty subdued but it seems like Lucy has it the worst. She used to be the first to come for treats and now it's like she's barely interested in them. All three walk around as if they were hunching their shoulders looking like footballs with legs and feathers instead of walking upright and chickeny.
I don't see any pecking behavior nor is she missing any feathers. Rocky (our very originally named rooster) keeps close to them all day long as far as can tell. They free range during the day but sleep in the same coop at night. They spend most of their time under the large hedge or our porch, which provides great cover from eagles and has tons of tasty bugs for them to snack on. All. Day. Long. When they come out, he's not far behind as if he's herding them. When I go out with treats, he's the first in line and is completely greedy. The girls tend to stay away when before they'd take from my hand and sometimes sit on my arm.
Is this a case of a rooster establishing his dominance over a flock and things will get back to normal? Or is he just a big jerk? I have no problem making chicken fajitas out of him if he's terrorizing my girls. I figure unhappy chickens wont lay as well and then what the heck is the point?
* My family thinks I'm silly for knowing their hatch date. It's true but I'm counting the days until they start laying.
** Chicken pedophilia! Now I really sound silly.
We're raising chickens for the first time. We have three hens: one RIR and 2 black Austrolorps. We used to have a Silver-laced Wyandotte but one of my dogs killed her when she was four weeks old. I was so disappointed because it was our Great Pyrenees who did it. I would have expected one of our other dogs to go after the chickens but not her. Anyway, the new rule is when the dog is out, the chickens are in and vice versa. My other two dogs aren't interested in eating the chickens. In fact our Rottie is the one who alerts me when the GP goes after them and runs to fend her off. Good dog! Of course, he's really interested in getting their treats.
Because of that and because of the amount of predators we have around here we decided to get a rooster. The only one I could find on such short notice was a four month-old Black Copper Marans, who is gorgeous, BTW. My chickens will be nine weeks old tomorrow* but the lady who sold him to me said their age difference shouldn't matter. I was worried he might try to mate with them too soon**. I'm not interested in breeding but I figure chickens will be chickens eventually. The integration went well and they accepted him just fine. The first week my girls seemed happy to have him around. This week is different. My RIR, Lucy, had been the dominant chicken, but the past few days she's been... depressed. The other two are also pretty subdued but it seems like Lucy has it the worst. She used to be the first to come for treats and now it's like she's barely interested in them. All three walk around as if they were hunching their shoulders looking like footballs with legs and feathers instead of walking upright and chickeny.
I don't see any pecking behavior nor is she missing any feathers. Rocky (our very originally named rooster) keeps close to them all day long as far as can tell. They free range during the day but sleep in the same coop at night. They spend most of their time under the large hedge or our porch, which provides great cover from eagles and has tons of tasty bugs for them to snack on. All. Day. Long. When they come out, he's not far behind as if he's herding them. When I go out with treats, he's the first in line and is completely greedy. The girls tend to stay away when before they'd take from my hand and sometimes sit on my arm.
Is this a case of a rooster establishing his dominance over a flock and things will get back to normal? Or is he just a big jerk? I have no problem making chicken fajitas out of him if he's terrorizing my girls. I figure unhappy chickens wont lay as well and then what the heck is the point?
* My family thinks I'm silly for knowing their hatch date. It's true but I'm counting the days until they start laying.
** Chicken pedophilia! Now I really sound silly.
