- Apr 26, 2008
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I know this has been covered several times but saw in the old threads the recommendation to post a new thread with specifics about the flock.
I've got seven adults - six hens and one rooster. The rooster is a Bantam and the hens are a mix of Barred Rock, Rhode Island Red (my eight year old Old Red Hen), Ameraucana, Buff Orpington, and Black Laced Wyandotte. The rooster, buff, and wyandotte came from a friend - but the rooster (her kids named him Penguin because of how he walks) came over first and then two years later the she gave me the two hens. When Penguin the rooster came, I had Old Red Hen and another equally old Buff Orpington. That Buff Orpington developed bumblefoot and although we treated her and she recovered, Penguin had begun attacking her. The vet said that he would always view her as a threat to the flock because he had seen her infected foot. Another chicken expert was dubious that the rooster would have that kind of memory. That old Buff Orpington eventually died.
Q- I'm wondering if Penguin is attacking this younger Buff Orpington who he used to get along with, because she came to us after he had started rejecting the other old Buff Orpington.
He is a good rooster otherwise. He's nice to the other hens, he's gentle with people. He doesn't draw blood on the Buff Orpington, but he does chase and peck her very frequently.
Q - Should I leave them alone as long as he isn't actually injuring her? I've got my eight other chicks that will be added to the flock when they are old enough, so I know that will mix things up a bit. None are buffs.
Q - Based on the other threads I assume if anyone gets rehomed it's the Buff Orpington?
I had thought about adding a couple more Buff Orpingtons to the flock to maybe confuse him, not sure if that's a sound strategy.
Thanks
Shannon
I've got seven adults - six hens and one rooster. The rooster is a Bantam and the hens are a mix of Barred Rock, Rhode Island Red (my eight year old Old Red Hen), Ameraucana, Buff Orpington, and Black Laced Wyandotte. The rooster, buff, and wyandotte came from a friend - but the rooster (her kids named him Penguin because of how he walks) came over first and then two years later the she gave me the two hens. When Penguin the rooster came, I had Old Red Hen and another equally old Buff Orpington. That Buff Orpington developed bumblefoot and although we treated her and she recovered, Penguin had begun attacking her. The vet said that he would always view her as a threat to the flock because he had seen her infected foot. Another chicken expert was dubious that the rooster would have that kind of memory. That old Buff Orpington eventually died.
Q- I'm wondering if Penguin is attacking this younger Buff Orpington who he used to get along with, because she came to us after he had started rejecting the other old Buff Orpington.
He is a good rooster otherwise. He's nice to the other hens, he's gentle with people. He doesn't draw blood on the Buff Orpington, but he does chase and peck her very frequently.
Q - Should I leave them alone as long as he isn't actually injuring her? I've got my eight other chicks that will be added to the flock when they are old enough, so I know that will mix things up a bit. None are buffs.
Q - Based on the other threads I assume if anyone gets rehomed it's the Buff Orpington?
I had thought about adding a couple more Buff Orpingtons to the flock to maybe confuse him, not sure if that's a sound strategy.
Thanks
Shannon