The Yardbird Life
Chirping
- Jul 27, 2025
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We ended up with a cockerel in our batch of 4 Speckled Sussex 'pullets'. We also have 3 Golden Laced Wyandotte pullets that are maybe a week or so younger? The Sussex' were "Premium Pullets" and just a bit further along than the Wyandottes. They all came from TSC on Aug 1 and I transferred them to the coop about a week ago. I have to say, I was really enjoying the interesting progression of the flock but especially the rooster. He was clearlyt a rooster from very early on. If I had to guess, this dude cracked out of the shell looking like bad ol' rooster he was that obvious! I just don't remember seeing the strong instinctual behavior from our long ago last flock 10 years back. This new guy was really doing his thing from day one in the coop and was so fun to watch him work his ladies.
I just can't risk having a noisy rooster here in our backyard flock. I really don't want to inconvenience our neighbors with potential crowing so I sort of prematurely put an ad on craigslist for his adoption a week or two ago and just got a call. The situation was good in that he's going to service a flock that has no rooster and the owner wants to multiply his flock so the rooster departed 2 days ago.
The hens are really different now! The most obvious was how things turn out at sundown. Before, he would guide them all into the roost box and he would always be the last one in and they would all gather in a corner and huddle up for the entire night. Now that he's gone, the hens are really struggling for roost space on the roosting perch bar ABOVE the box where they were originally sleeping every night with the rooster. Last night, the pecking order thing was quite a struggle and it seems as though the Sussex are demanding a certain spot on the roost bar and they tussled for about 10-15 minutes before settling. I'm intending to add some perch space for them but the odd thing is that all day long, all the ladies just sort of hang out inside the coop's smaller run space even though the auto door is open for them to go out to the open area surrounding our store bought coop that is surrounded by electrified Poultry netting. They do go out now and then but before, they were always out and scratching about as the rooster was always pushing them here and there. They'd all occasionally go in a take a siesta but then would come back out and do chicken stuff.
I don't remember this behavior from our old flock and I'm wondering if this is typical for those that have gone through this more than I have? Do the ladies need chicken Prozac or will this pass?
I just can't risk having a noisy rooster here in our backyard flock. I really don't want to inconvenience our neighbors with potential crowing so I sort of prematurely put an ad on craigslist for his adoption a week or two ago and just got a call. The situation was good in that he's going to service a flock that has no rooster and the owner wants to multiply his flock so the rooster departed 2 days ago.
The hens are really different now! The most obvious was how things turn out at sundown. Before, he would guide them all into the roost box and he would always be the last one in and they would all gather in a corner and huddle up for the entire night. Now that he's gone, the hens are really struggling for roost space on the roosting perch bar ABOVE the box where they were originally sleeping every night with the rooster. Last night, the pecking order thing was quite a struggle and it seems as though the Sussex are demanding a certain spot on the roost bar and they tussled for about 10-15 minutes before settling. I'm intending to add some perch space for them but the odd thing is that all day long, all the ladies just sort of hang out inside the coop's smaller run space even though the auto door is open for them to go out to the open area surrounding our store bought coop that is surrounded by electrified Poultry netting. They do go out now and then but before, they were always out and scratching about as the rooster was always pushing them here and there. They'd all occasionally go in a take a siesta but then would come back out and do chicken stuff.
I don't remember this behavior from our old flock and I'm wondering if this is typical for those that have gone through this more than I have? Do the ladies need chicken Prozac or will this pass?
