- Jun 2, 2012
- 5
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I have no question, just some observations with my flock that somewhat go against some of the things I've read about chicken raising:
#1) So we started out with only pullets, who eventually became hens of course. For awhile we couldn't tell any sort of pecking order past the initial introductions, even though due to hawk kills we brought in new chicks in three phases ((1_started with 5=> hawk killed 1 => (2) added 2 since one would probably be killed alone => hawk killed another of the 1st cohort => (3) added 6 assuming that hawks would be worse (they didn't) => gave away 3 after all became full fledged pullets => 1 pullet of the 2nd cohort randomly died => now we have 7 hens) Since then their pecking order has asserted itself in the following order: 2 Plymouth Bards, a Black Austrolorp, 2 RIRs, 2 Ameraucanas. It is interesting that while there is a distinction in pecking order within the Bards (the one we call Whiner is on top, followed by Penguin) and the Ameraucanas (The one we call the pretty one is above the one we call the ugly one), the RIRs are just nebulously in the middle of the pack. I also think it is interesting that pecking order seems to follow breeds.
Missing are one RIR and the Welsumer Cockrel
At about October last year, we decided we wanted to use roosters for two reasons, to slaughter our first chicken ever, and for a new generation. We took two unwanted roosters that were unwanted including a mature RIR and a Welsumer cockrel who had gotten into a serious fight at his former place and broke his leg. The Welsumer since healed, but he walks with a limp, and always will.
The hens hated the both of them, but the RIR rooster avoided being attacked after the first few days. Days before we turned him into deliciousness, he had been observed either steering completely clear of the hens or mating with them. Nothing in between. No chivalry, no coy games. He wasn't really a part of the pecking order.
The poor Welsumer spent the fall and winter being a juvenile. He finally started crowing come spring. He is quite docile, and while he finally integrated into the flock, he was dead last - at least at first. It started with the Americana's, first "the ugly one", then "the pretty one". We didn't know what happened, at first. We'd come home from work and the Welsumer would be in near mortal combat with the pretty one especially, blood all over their faces. I think he was trying to have his way with them and they didn't care much for that. But eventually, the fights did stop, and now we often see him doing his thing with them. The same thing happened with the RIRs, although they barely fought.
Our mild, weenie rooster
So he climbed up the pecking order ladder and we did see him finally mating with the Black Austrolorp just before she went broody and hatched some step-chicks (4 RIR/Welsummers and 1 Ameraucana/Welsumer).
Our poor rooster has since made attempts on Penguin, our #2 in command Bard Rock, but they have failed tremendously as she's given him a few kicks to the noggin. And lest anyone think we just aren't seeing anything happen, none of their eggs are fertile. It has been over 2 months now.
So here is the the overall observation with this: the rule of thumb is roosters will rise to the top of the pecking order, above hens, but this guy seems to be going no where, having hit the mighty, mighty bard rock glass ceiling. I think this is a combination of having a particularly docile rooster and particularly dominate Bard Rocks, but that is what it is nonetheless!
#2)As I mentioned previously, we had some fertile eggs as a result of our rooster, and our Black Austrolorp went broody! We got 5 chicks, with 1 biological dad, 3 biological mothers and one step-mother. They are very cute, and the Black Austrolorp is a very attentive, good and protective mother.
We got these guys out of the coop pretty much as soon as we were sure the last egg was a dud. It is pretty warm out, but being a day old, I suspect some books and internets would have disagreed with that decision. When we had our original hens and chicks though, I once penned them up outside when they were about 2-3 weeks old, when it started snowing and sleeting. There was absolutely no problem when I came home from work that day. So I take the, chicks as high temperature advice as guidelines, not law.
The other thing that is mentioned is how long one should wait to introduce Momma et. al. to the rest of the flock. Well, we brooded in the same coop as the flock, so they already knew each other, but they were always tucked pretty safely away under Momma in a nesting box. We did give the new family two days of foraging in a penned off part of the yard. The hens and roosters were curious, sometimes even mad, but I think that was more because all the feed was in the pen (I try to ween off the hens from much feed once spring roles around. They are great foragers, no need to get lazy).
By Day 4, we watched as we put all of them together. There was some posturing. A light peck here and there, Momma getting her feathers all ruffled up, but all and all, it has been a fairly painless process. So yeah, observation 2: 4 days till integration. No problems.
I think I must be either terrible lazy but lucky with chickens of superb character, or a secret genius at this new chicken raising thing (I think more the former than the latter), but these guys have been really maintenance free.
#1) So we started out with only pullets, who eventually became hens of course. For awhile we couldn't tell any sort of pecking order past the initial introductions, even though due to hawk kills we brought in new chicks in three phases ((1_started with 5=> hawk killed 1 => (2) added 2 since one would probably be killed alone => hawk killed another of the 1st cohort => (3) added 6 assuming that hawks would be worse (they didn't) => gave away 3 after all became full fledged pullets => 1 pullet of the 2nd cohort randomly died => now we have 7 hens) Since then their pecking order has asserted itself in the following order: 2 Plymouth Bards, a Black Austrolorp, 2 RIRs, 2 Ameraucanas. It is interesting that while there is a distinction in pecking order within the Bards (the one we call Whiner is on top, followed by Penguin) and the Ameraucanas (The one we call the pretty one is above the one we call the ugly one), the RIRs are just nebulously in the middle of the pack. I also think it is interesting that pecking order seems to follow breeds.
Missing are one RIR and the Welsumer Cockrel
At about October last year, we decided we wanted to use roosters for two reasons, to slaughter our first chicken ever, and for a new generation. We took two unwanted roosters that were unwanted including a mature RIR and a Welsumer cockrel who had gotten into a serious fight at his former place and broke his leg. The Welsumer since healed, but he walks with a limp, and always will.
The hens hated the both of them, but the RIR rooster avoided being attacked after the first few days. Days before we turned him into deliciousness, he had been observed either steering completely clear of the hens or mating with them. Nothing in between. No chivalry, no coy games. He wasn't really a part of the pecking order.
The poor Welsumer spent the fall and winter being a juvenile. He finally started crowing come spring. He is quite docile, and while he finally integrated into the flock, he was dead last - at least at first. It started with the Americana's, first "the ugly one", then "the pretty one". We didn't know what happened, at first. We'd come home from work and the Welsumer would be in near mortal combat with the pretty one especially, blood all over their faces. I think he was trying to have his way with them and they didn't care much for that. But eventually, the fights did stop, and now we often see him doing his thing with them. The same thing happened with the RIRs, although they barely fought.
Our mild, weenie rooster
So he climbed up the pecking order ladder and we did see him finally mating with the Black Austrolorp just before she went broody and hatched some step-chicks (4 RIR/Welsummers and 1 Ameraucana/Welsumer).
Our poor rooster has since made attempts on Penguin, our #2 in command Bard Rock, but they have failed tremendously as she's given him a few kicks to the noggin. And lest anyone think we just aren't seeing anything happen, none of their eggs are fertile. It has been over 2 months now.
So here is the the overall observation with this: the rule of thumb is roosters will rise to the top of the pecking order, above hens, but this guy seems to be going no where, having hit the mighty, mighty bard rock glass ceiling. I think this is a combination of having a particularly docile rooster and particularly dominate Bard Rocks, but that is what it is nonetheless!
#2)As I mentioned previously, we had some fertile eggs as a result of our rooster, and our Black Austrolorp went broody! We got 5 chicks, with 1 biological dad, 3 biological mothers and one step-mother. They are very cute, and the Black Austrolorp is a very attentive, good and protective mother.
We got these guys out of the coop pretty much as soon as we were sure the last egg was a dud. It is pretty warm out, but being a day old, I suspect some books and internets would have disagreed with that decision. When we had our original hens and chicks though, I once penned them up outside when they were about 2-3 weeks old, when it started snowing and sleeting. There was absolutely no problem when I came home from work that day. So I take the, chicks as high temperature advice as guidelines, not law.
The other thing that is mentioned is how long one should wait to introduce Momma et. al. to the rest of the flock. Well, we brooded in the same coop as the flock, so they already knew each other, but they were always tucked pretty safely away under Momma in a nesting box. We did give the new family two days of foraging in a penned off part of the yard. The hens and roosters were curious, sometimes even mad, but I think that was more because all the feed was in the pen (I try to ween off the hens from much feed once spring roles around. They are great foragers, no need to get lazy).
By Day 4, we watched as we put all of them together. There was some posturing. A light peck here and there, Momma getting her feathers all ruffled up, but all and all, it has been a fairly painless process. So yeah, observation 2: 4 days till integration. No problems.
I think I must be either terrible lazy but lucky with chickens of superb character, or a secret genius at this new chicken raising thing (I think more the former than the latter), but these guys have been really maintenance free.
