Rooster behavior

[Akrnaf2]

Bad rooster=good chicken soup!
Mean rooster can be EXTREMELY DANGEROUS when little children is involved! I WILL NEVER take a chance with the security of my children.

 

[Jackievg]

The first 6 rooster are in a friends freezer for some kind of soup he makes this fall. I always said I couldn't eat something I fed & looked in the eye each day. Roosters are changing my out look on that. Don't think I could kill them, too messy. But, I will have no problem eating them if someone else does the killing!

Another question, a friend has offered me 5 hens, similar in age to the 2 I have. I know not to put them all together right away. I have a place to keep them next door as the get used to one another. How long does it take for this process? How will I know if it's ok to put them together?

 

[Akrnaf2]

"Quarantine" came from the Italian word of "quaranta" meaning 40.
The tumb rule is minimum 40:40 minimum 40 days at minimum 40 feet of distance between the 2 flocks.

 

[lazy gardener]

Well, Jackie, stalk no more! Join the conversation. I agree with others. In the case of your roo situation, get rid of them. If you want to hatch chicks, you can always get some fertile eggs from someone else. But... if you do so, have an exit plan for all those cockerels!

As for what "someone said" about a flock without a roo singleing out a weak hen to kill: that can happen even with a roo, and it's most often the roo who is the aggressor in such a circumstance. It's in the flock's best interest that all members be strong. A weak or sick member will attract predators. So, they may pick up on illness (whether structural or disease) that you or I might not see, and they will attempt to drive that hen out of the flock for the good of the rest of the flock. Since that hen is in a coop and run situation, she has no where to go... so she gets viciously attacked... blood letting leads to cannibalism. A nice sized coop and run with plenty of out of sight, multi level spaces, as well as free range time (if that's an option) will help prevent such issue from ever happening.

 

[aart]

I've been on here for a while, just was a "stalker" before.

Oh, didn't look at your join date just your low post count...
..so then, Welcome out of the closet

 

[Jackievg]

Update, roosters have gone to live at a coworkers place. He has about 30 chickens & recently lost his rooster. He split up his hens & put both my roosters each w/their own group. All are happy, including my 2 at home. It's so nice & quiet! And, I'm really enjoying them! They run to greet me (probably due to always having a treat of fruit with me, lol)! So enjoying this!

And, my husband had a friend of a friend who is giving us another coop. She had it made by the Amish in Missouri & then found out she couldn't have chickens where she lives. In the meantime her husband passed away & she just wants to give it away. It's REALLY nice. I'm looking forward to expanding my flock, of girls only, of course!

 

[andreanar]

In my last flock, 2 turned out to be cocks, the girls became so much friendlier once they were gone! Good luck and enjoy your girls!

 

[Lazy Farmer]