Pipd's Peeps!

[Leahs Mom]

So...are you housing the boys separately from the girls right now?

JanetMarie had some "bad" boys one year that she regretted not having separated from the rest of the flock because she felt that the others learned bad behavior from them.

The ones I have are so young that I was hoping to leave them together and hopefully see some behavior change but I DON'T WANT ANY BAD BEHAVIORS LEARNED!!!

They're so young that I have to let the grow up more if they're going for meat, but I really don't want to keep them with the others if this is going to be spread around.

I was watching one of the other boys and seeing him behaving in the flock in a way I"m not happy with either. The littlest one is still undetermined...pretty sure a boy be is so little that it's hard to tell quite yet. And he may just do the same when he's come into his own.

sigh.

@Soon2BChixMom
Martins is a chicken processor that is somewhat local to us.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@Soon2BChixMom
Roosters are always a gamble. You never know until you've had a particular boy. One could be a demon and his "twin brother" could have a totally different demeanor. You kind of have to just give one a try and see...and be ready with a disposal plan if needed.

I've had one boy that was good for about 2.5 years then started behaviors toward the females that was not good. He went to another flock and was great with them for the rest of his life.

I've had others, like this cockerel, that shows aggression toward people very early and others that only began that behavior around 16 - 18 weeks.

@JanetMarie has a boy right now she would like to re-home. She grows them out long enough to determine demeanor so hers might be a good try for you. If she doesn't get a taker soon, he'll be soup.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

How separate is separate? I have the three Marans boys in their own pen, but everyone can see everyone else through the fence. The same goes for the two Mottled Cochin boys, who are in the big girl flock separated by fence from the babies. I don't currently have the two young Silkied Cochin boys separate, but they haven't misbehaved (yet?) to tell me they need to be booted.

I guess I never thought about learned behavior, but I have seen it happen when I let a hen hatch and raise a couple chicks while I was still quite new to chickens. That hen wasn't nasty, per se, but had an attitude, which the two chicks she raised seemed to inherit at an amplified level. She also kept taking her two chicks down the driveway to the road to forage, and it was a battle to keep them away from the road from the time she stopped mothering them until I finally ended up separating them because of their horrible temperaments. So I can believe that could happen. I've just not raised that many roosters over the years to see it happen with them.

I definitely agree on roosters being a gamble, though! You can raise the odds in your favor by choosing breeds that tend to have better temperaments, but in the end, any bird could turn out being nasty. It seems like most people have the best luck with adding adult roosters to a flock versus raising out a youngster, but that comes with its own host of problems, primarily locating healthy stock and quarantining, etc. It definitely was worthwhile for me as that's how I ended up with Reuben (who was from another BYCer whose flock health I trusted--but I still quarantined to be safe). I do hope you find a good fella for your flock, ChixMom! While I definitely wouldn't say having a rooster in your flock is essential, it adds a new dynamic of entertainment (watching him court and spoil his ladies) as well as a more alert set of eyes to keep watch while the flock is foraging.



EDIT: Oh, I got distracted before I finished my post. I wanted to say that it looks like the post box on page 141 is now fixed for me, so I guess it had nothing to do with the number of pictures? I think I'll go ahead and start just dumping all of them here (unless that starts happening again), but I'll make sure to put them in the album as well.

Also, looks like Mavis will be laying soon, and Vivi's not far behind her! My little ladies are growing up!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

How separate is separate? I have the three Marans boys in their own pen, but everyone can see everyone else through the fence. The same goes for the two Mottled Cochin boys, who are in the big girl flock separated by fence from the babies. I don't currently have the two young Silkied Cochin boys separate, but they haven't misbehaved (yet?) to tell me they need to be booted.

I guess I never thought about learned behavior, but I have seen it happen when I let a hen hatch and raise a couple chicks while I was still quite new to chickens. That hen wasn't nasty, per se, but had an attitude, which the two chicks she raised seemed to inherit at an amplified level. She also kept taking her two chicks down the driveway to the road to forage, and it was a battle to keep them away from the road from the time she stopped mothering them until I finally ended up separating them because of their horrible temperaments. So I can believe that could happen. I've just not raised that many roosters over the years to see it happen with them.

I definitely agree on roosters being a gamble, though! You can raise the odds in your favor by choosing breeds that tend to have better temperaments, but in the end, any bird could turn out being nasty. It seems like most people have the best luck with adding adult roosters to a flock versus raising out a youngster, but that comes with its own host of problems, primarily locating healthy stock and quarantining, etc. It definitely was worthwhile for me as that's how I ended up with Reuben (who was from another BYCer whose flock health I trusted--but I still quarantined to be safe). I do hope you find a good fella for your flock, ChixMom! While I definitely wouldn't say having a rooster in your flock is essential, it adds a new dynamic of entertainment (watching him court and spoil his ladies) as well as a more alert set of eyes to keep watch while the flock is foraging.

How long did you quarantine knowing the flock the rooster came from?

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I always quarantine a minimum of 4 weeks, regardless of source, because that's just good practice.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@Soon2BChixMom
@JanetMarie is just across the line in MI and has a good boy to re-home.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

@Soon2BChixMom
@JanetMarie is just across the line in MI and has a good boy to re-home.

Yeah. I am actually talking to her about him.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Yay!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Here's hoping all works out! And make sure to post pictures if you do end up getting him!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Here's hoping all works out! And make sure to post pictures if you do end up getting him!

I will. Thanks!