North Carolina

[HenThymes]

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So sorry.

x2

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

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So sorry.

x2

X3

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

I'm hoping for a low-key Cristmas too.....just us and one wonderful DD and SIL and grandkids

Hope everyone has a grand one too

 

[ramirezframing]

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Are they fighting? Or just escape artists?

No the squirrels ate their way into the pheasant pen to get their food. The pheasants than slipped out the holes made by the squirrels.

Lost 3 hens and a roo, but got one hen and the roo back. So now I have two hens to four roos, not good. They will fight come early spring.

On a happy note, the mince meat is made and

.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

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sounds like pretty typical boy behavior. Your dominate roo (Jeremy) is going to feel the need to bully Cottontail every so often, and reinforce that Cottontail is his submissive. Also sometimes Cottontail may get a bit big for his britches and start something...Just keep an eye on them, if you see excessive 'posturing' and contact fighting, especially if it gets serious (as in Jeremy dogs down Cottontail, tears him up, etc) - then you need to separate them, and may want to consider rehoming one of them.

I have 4 mature roosters and some younger cockerels and they free range together. The boss (Pika) is my oldest rooster - a silkie. He will whoop the 13 lb 9 month old Brahma rooster in a heartbeat. Usually Pika leaves the other boys alone, but if they try bothering Pika's bunch of girls - all bets are off. If they keep to their own harems and don't challenge him, he barely every bats an eye at them and the world is great. HOWEVER I did have another rooster I brought here already full grown...those boys hated each other, and I never could let them be out at the same time or they'd try to tear each other apart. Every rooster is different, and you just have to watch them.

If your boys get to were the dominate male isn't letting Cottontail eat, drink, get anywhere near the girls or the coop, or if Jeremy keeps going after Cottontail and chasing him down often - then I'd worry.

 

[NewHomesteader2010]

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Thank you so much SOS!! I will be sure to keep an eye out and watch them from now on. Glad to know it is "typical" behavior...it just worried me as it was the first I had seen them go at it. Normally Jeremy would just chase Cottontail off, away from the girls (any/all girls) or chase after him once he tried to have his way with a girl and they tattled on him. Looks like Cottontail may be lined up for Freezer Camp again IF and only IF things don't change. It's such a hard decision though, because Cottontail is a good protector but Jeremy is the clear alpha.

I hope it doesn't come to me actually HAVING to make that decision.

On a happy note...it is the eve of Christmas Eve, so I hope everyone has a delightful day!!

 

[BHep]

Morning

Winding is blowing a WARM breeze the roosters are crowing and chicks are hatching. All is good.

I have a bunch of windows open in the house....in December !

I hatched 6/11 new chicks. 1 zipped and died

and 2 were questionable when I locked down. One last hatch to go.

NH... Belle & Olivia were homebodies here too, they always stayed close to the barn. Yup, sounds like Jeremy was just giving Cottontail a reminder who is boss. Goes on here from time to time, then all will be calm and repeat.

How is Susan doing ?

RF....

Dang Squirrels !

And my Pheasants got mean to each other quick, I think they were 8 weeks old or so. Had 3 males, they killed 1 and the top dog tore up the butt of the 2nd. All this happened in 1-2 hours time. Little beasts. Saved #2 and gave him a hen, the other has 2 hens. They are beautiful.

 

[BHep]

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Thank you so much SOS!! I will be sure to keep an eye out and watch them from now on. Glad to know it is "typical" behavior...it just worried me as it was the first I had seen them go at it. Normally Jeremy would just chase Cottontail off, away from the girls (any/all girls) or chase after him once he tried to have his way with a girl and they tattled on him. Looks like Cottontail may be lined up for Freezer Camp again IF and only IF things don't change. It's such a hard decision though, because Cottontail is a good protector but Jeremy is the clear alpha.

I hope it doesn't come to me actually HAVING to make that decision.

On a happy note...it is the eve of Christmas Eve, so I hope everyone has a delightful day!!

You could always get MORE hens

eventually Jeremy will have too many girls to worry about.

 

[BHep]

New Babies:

 

[HenThymes]

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Have eggs that went in LD yesterday due Christmas.