- Aug 3, 2012
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In one large run: two light Sussex hens, light Sussex rooster, and my emotional support rooster, Mattie (FBCM). All was pretty calm until yesterday.
One of the hens decided to go broody and sit on six eggs. Sigh. Fine. I noticed that the light Sussex rooster seemed to be spending an inordinate amount of time inside the coop. I wondered if he was harassing the hen. A week or so into the sitting, two eggs vanished. I saw some yolk residue on the floor. It's impossible for a snake large enough to eat an egg to get into the coop, so I think one of the roosters ate them. Maybe the LS rooster judging by his fascination with the inside of the coop during the day.
Two days ago, I heard cheeping. Okay. They're hatching. Yesterday afternoon, I came home to a bloody LS rooster and a FBCM rooster without a scratch. They were still flogging each other. Then I spotted the newly hatched chick on the ground of the run. Momma was still sitting on her remaining three eggs. I assumed the chick was dead and almost walked away, but decided to go inside the run and pick it up.
The little thing was very cold, but still alive. I immediately went inside and held it under the heat lamp that is keeping the FBCM chick/pullet with the broken leg warm. It revived itself and is doing fine this morning.
However, when I went out to give them their morning treat of scratch, the two roosters started fighting again. The strange thing is that these two roosters have never shown any aggression toward each other at all. They'd hang around each other in close proximity and seem to be well adjusted toward each other.
One other bit of strange behavior: my FBCM rooster would not stay out of the nesting boxes yesterday. While I was peaking in on the sitting hen, Mattie got up in one of the boxes and danced around excitedly. I shooed him off, but he ran around and got in another of the boxes, dancing around. Weird behavior. He hasn't shown any interest in the sitting hen until yesterday.
I'm in a pickle, because I don't have time to deal with them right now. I've got to go to work.
Insight on all this chicken drama is appreciated.
Nate
One of the hens decided to go broody and sit on six eggs. Sigh. Fine. I noticed that the light Sussex rooster seemed to be spending an inordinate amount of time inside the coop. I wondered if he was harassing the hen. A week or so into the sitting, two eggs vanished. I saw some yolk residue on the floor. It's impossible for a snake large enough to eat an egg to get into the coop, so I think one of the roosters ate them. Maybe the LS rooster judging by his fascination with the inside of the coop during the day.
Two days ago, I heard cheeping. Okay. They're hatching. Yesterday afternoon, I came home to a bloody LS rooster and a FBCM rooster without a scratch. They were still flogging each other. Then I spotted the newly hatched chick on the ground of the run. Momma was still sitting on her remaining three eggs. I assumed the chick was dead and almost walked away, but decided to go inside the run and pick it up.
The little thing was very cold, but still alive. I immediately went inside and held it under the heat lamp that is keeping the FBCM chick/pullet with the broken leg warm. It revived itself and is doing fine this morning.
However, when I went out to give them their morning treat of scratch, the two roosters started fighting again. The strange thing is that these two roosters have never shown any aggression toward each other at all. They'd hang around each other in close proximity and seem to be well adjusted toward each other.
One other bit of strange behavior: my FBCM rooster would not stay out of the nesting boxes yesterday. While I was peaking in on the sitting hen, Mattie got up in one of the boxes and danced around excitedly. I shooed him off, but he ran around and got in another of the boxes, dancing around. Weird behavior. He hasn't shown any interest in the sitting hen until yesterday.
I'm in a pickle, because I don't have time to deal with them right now. I've got to go to work.
Insight on all this chicken drama is appreciated.
Nate
