I have 3 old hens don't know how old. This spring I got 6 chicks from tsc, stupid me didn't realize that golden comets were sex linked chicks and they sure as heck don't want to inform you. So I now have 6 hens and 3 roosters and for the time being they are behaving fairly well. One old hen is separate as she decided to be broody for 3 months and wouldn't give it up no matter what I tried. I tried getting her day old chicks yep that didn't work. So I gave in and got her fertile eggs. So 2 jersey giants hatched out a week ago and she is happily taking care of her little ones in a small enclosure.
Now for my problem those 3 day old chicks I got are getting fairly good size about 7 wks and want to be out running around. All my chickens are free range. I do have some rabbit enclosures that can be used if needed which is what the 3 of them are in now. I think they might all be roos or have at least one roo in there. At about 3 wks old I happened to have them outside running around by my feet and up came my other 6 who are about 16 wks now and the roo grabbed it by the neck and started shaking it. It only stopped when I grabbed it by the neck. The others tried to get at it when it stopped so I am sure they would do the same. These roos have done the same thing with kittens as well. Is there anything I can do to make them accept them? I like these roos and they are very friendly to me and the kids so won't be getting rid of any as long as they behave themselves they aren't pestering the hens to much and the old hens actually peck the roos especially the EE hen shes been mean since the day she arrived.
These roos see the chicks and they just look for a chance to go grab them anything smaller than them and bird like (I had to save a baby robin from them earlier today) is fair game for them to destroy and they will kill and eat small rodents they actually do just about as well as the barn cat. Very weird I have never seen a chicken do this before. I need to introduce the 3 so that the hen can scratch with her chicks in the pen they are in and I can't while they are there because they might do the same thing to the babies (they tried for the robin as well)
Help any ideas or is it just a roo thing? I don't remember the roos from my childhood attacking anything but me and my grandma. I know they can be mean but they are so sweet to us.
Now for my problem those 3 day old chicks I got are getting fairly good size about 7 wks and want to be out running around. All my chickens are free range. I do have some rabbit enclosures that can be used if needed which is what the 3 of them are in now. I think they might all be roos or have at least one roo in there. At about 3 wks old I happened to have them outside running around by my feet and up came my other 6 who are about 16 wks now and the roo grabbed it by the neck and started shaking it. It only stopped when I grabbed it by the neck. The others tried to get at it when it stopped so I am sure they would do the same. These roos have done the same thing with kittens as well. Is there anything I can do to make them accept them? I like these roos and they are very friendly to me and the kids so won't be getting rid of any as long as they behave themselves they aren't pestering the hens to much and the old hens actually peck the roos especially the EE hen shes been mean since the day she arrived.
These roos see the chicks and they just look for a chance to go grab them anything smaller than them and bird like (I had to save a baby robin from them earlier today) is fair game for them to destroy and they will kill and eat small rodents they actually do just about as well as the barn cat. Very weird I have never seen a chicken do this before. I need to introduce the 3 so that the hen can scratch with her chicks in the pen they are in and I can't while they are there because they might do the same thing to the babies (they tried for the robin as well)
Help any ideas or is it just a roo thing? I don't remember the roos from my childhood attacking anything but me and my grandma. I know they can be mean but they are so sweet to us.
