Hi,
I would like some guidance from you clever people
Apologies for my bad English and the loooong text….
I have two things that will change my flock in the future. I think it would be best to do them at the same time, to only disturb the pecking order once.
The first thing is to integrate my former broody hen and her 2 chicks back to the flock. I separated her when she was broody. They have been right next to each other. They have been put together under supervision last weekend, but only for a while. I think the hens are very hard on her (luckily not so hard on the chicks). The chicks are almost 7 weeks.
The other thing is that a want to reduce the flock. I only have 5 adults, but I do not want a bigger flock – and maybe even want to go down to 4 (including the two chicks). I have 2 hens that I will not keep, so that part is easy.
One is very loud (my only Australorp). The other one is kind of… hmm… not nice. She is a Buff Orpington like most of my flock, but she is just not nice. She pecks you very hard if you try to pet her or even the other hens (who actually likes it). No other hen is like that in my flock. I’m not scared of her, but I do not want my kids to get scared of the chickens, and I do not really enjoy her little “attacks”. She is not mean in the group, lays eggs and goes broody pretty often.
My thought on the flock:
1: Blue (the mother) – So sweet and nice – Will stay for sure
2: Buffy – My none broody and very sweet girl – Will stay for sure
3 & 4: The chicks – Will stay
5: Snow – Super sweet and super broody like Blue. I’m not really sure about her.
6: Ms. Peck Lady (the “not so nice” one) – She will go
7: Blacky (the loud one) – She will go
What do you guys think?
Would it be better to sell the 3 hens together? They would know each other and not get such a hard time getting integrated in a new flock. That would leave only 2 adult hens – but also 2 growing chicks.
Or is it better to sell the 2 “trouble makes”, and have 3 adults + 2 chicks? – then maybe later get rid of one more, when the chicks are grown.
Or is it better to not sell them at all and butcher the 2 instead? (Both are 1 year and great egg layers).
If I sell them I would naturally tell the things about them
I would like some guidance from you clever people
Apologies for my bad English and the loooong text….
I have two things that will change my flock in the future. I think it would be best to do them at the same time, to only disturb the pecking order once.
The first thing is to integrate my former broody hen and her 2 chicks back to the flock. I separated her when she was broody. They have been right next to each other. They have been put together under supervision last weekend, but only for a while. I think the hens are very hard on her (luckily not so hard on the chicks). The chicks are almost 7 weeks.
The other thing is that a want to reduce the flock. I only have 5 adults, but I do not want a bigger flock – and maybe even want to go down to 4 (including the two chicks). I have 2 hens that I will not keep, so that part is easy.
One is very loud (my only Australorp). The other one is kind of… hmm… not nice. She is a Buff Orpington like most of my flock, but she is just not nice. She pecks you very hard if you try to pet her or even the other hens (who actually likes it). No other hen is like that in my flock. I’m not scared of her, but I do not want my kids to get scared of the chickens, and I do not really enjoy her little “attacks”. She is not mean in the group, lays eggs and goes broody pretty often.
My thought on the flock:
1: Blue (the mother) – So sweet and nice – Will stay for sure
2: Buffy – My none broody and very sweet girl – Will stay for sure
3 & 4: The chicks – Will stay
5: Snow – Super sweet and super broody like Blue. I’m not really sure about her.
6: Ms. Peck Lady (the “not so nice” one) – She will go
7: Blacky (the loud one) – She will go
What do you guys think?
Would it be better to sell the 3 hens together? They would know each other and not get such a hard time getting integrated in a new flock. That would leave only 2 adult hens – but also 2 growing chicks.
Or is it better to sell the 2 “trouble makes”, and have 3 adults + 2 chicks? – then maybe later get rid of one more, when the chicks are grown.
Or is it better to not sell them at all and butcher the 2 instead? (Both are 1 year and great egg layers).
If I sell them I would naturally tell the things about them
