So I'm still new to chickens- I got my first seven the end of March (born the 24th) my second batch April 14th, and my last six I bought impulsively on June 14 (they were 2 weeks old) because the fleet farm store was trying to get rid of their last batch of chicks so was selling them B1G1. So my chickens are just over 4 months, almost 4 months, and 2 months, respectively.
The younger two batches of chickens all roost- not, of course, on the roosts I built for them, but on the rafters, the window sills... anywhere they can hold onto OTHER than the roosts (and yes, they're high enough). But that's fine. The thing is, the 4 month old chickens STILL don't roost. Three of them are bantams, so I don't have much expectation for them to roost (although I did build a low roost in case they care to), but the other four, including my two fully mature roosters, STILL sleep in a group on the floor with the bantams. Recently one of the females has started sleeping on an open shelf (I left them open for them on purpose- messy, but they like it) with a few of the younger chickens, but the other three still sleep on the floor. I've read other posts on this problem and was determined to give them time- they're breeds that, according to the other posts, tend to begin roosting later. But over 4 months old, and fully mature (crowing, etc) otherwise? Should I do something or just let them be?
ALSO, three of the four older chickens are roosters. I was worried for a while that some of the others would be as well, even though they were all sexed- but we know how that goes, plus I got two bonus Ameraucanas with my order, so I suspected they might be off loading roos- still not certain, but none look inherantly rooster-y yet. Two of them are big, obvious roosters- developed huge combs very early, bigger bodied, etc. The other one had me baffled for a while as he is a lot scrawnier and his comb showed up much later, but I have noticed spur bumps, so I'm pretty sure that now he is a rooster. One, the wyandotte, is the head rooster- he crows all day and is obviously the one who keeps the others in line (he is also the nice one, which makes me happy). The larger of the other two has crowed, but doesn't often... and he is also mean. He attacks my legs like a freakin' hyena anytime I go into the run. And the other, well, doesn't do anything. Well, that's not true, he does abuse the ladies a little (in that "I'm a sex crazed teenager" kind of way, not mindless pecking, and the head rooster keeps him in line). Thankfully there has been zero fighting- there was some minor tussling long ago, when they were still really young, but I think the pecking order was established then and there has been none since.
MY QUESTION is this- could the other two roosters be the reason my wyandotte crows all day? I have every intention of processing the other two this winter- the one is way too mean and I hate dreading every trip into the coop/run, and I want my kids to be more involved, and the other is too scrawny. I wouldn't want any of his offspring. But I would really love to keep the other rooster- he's beautiful, he takes care of the hens, he's not aggressive. But the crowing ALL DAY LONG is starting to get to me. Thankfully there have been no complaints from my close neighbors, but it woke me up far too early the other morning. Do roosters crow less once they get past the teenager stage? Could getting rid of the other roosters reduce the amount that he crows? Really, I'm probably keeping him either way, but I want to know if there is hope!
And sorry that got too long- apparently I felt a lot of backstory was necessary!
The younger two batches of chickens all roost- not, of course, on the roosts I built for them, but on the rafters, the window sills... anywhere they can hold onto OTHER than the roosts (and yes, they're high enough). But that's fine. The thing is, the 4 month old chickens STILL don't roost. Three of them are bantams, so I don't have much expectation for them to roost (although I did build a low roost in case they care to), but the other four, including my two fully mature roosters, STILL sleep in a group on the floor with the bantams. Recently one of the females has started sleeping on an open shelf (I left them open for them on purpose- messy, but they like it) with a few of the younger chickens, but the other three still sleep on the floor. I've read other posts on this problem and was determined to give them time- they're breeds that, according to the other posts, tend to begin roosting later. But over 4 months old, and fully mature (crowing, etc) otherwise? Should I do something or just let them be?
ALSO, three of the four older chickens are roosters. I was worried for a while that some of the others would be as well, even though they were all sexed- but we know how that goes, plus I got two bonus Ameraucanas with my order, so I suspected they might be off loading roos- still not certain, but none look inherantly rooster-y yet. Two of them are big, obvious roosters- developed huge combs very early, bigger bodied, etc. The other one had me baffled for a while as he is a lot scrawnier and his comb showed up much later, but I have noticed spur bumps, so I'm pretty sure that now he is a rooster. One, the wyandotte, is the head rooster- he crows all day and is obviously the one who keeps the others in line (he is also the nice one, which makes me happy). The larger of the other two has crowed, but doesn't often... and he is also mean. He attacks my legs like a freakin' hyena anytime I go into the run. And the other, well, doesn't do anything. Well, that's not true, he does abuse the ladies a little (in that "I'm a sex crazed teenager" kind of way, not mindless pecking, and the head rooster keeps him in line). Thankfully there has been zero fighting- there was some minor tussling long ago, when they were still really young, but I think the pecking order was established then and there has been none since.
MY QUESTION is this- could the other two roosters be the reason my wyandotte crows all day? I have every intention of processing the other two this winter- the one is way too mean and I hate dreading every trip into the coop/run, and I want my kids to be more involved, and the other is too scrawny. I wouldn't want any of his offspring. But I would really love to keep the other rooster- he's beautiful, he takes care of the hens, he's not aggressive. But the crowing ALL DAY LONG is starting to get to me. Thankfully there have been no complaints from my close neighbors, but it woke me up far too early the other morning. Do roosters crow less once they get past the teenager stage? Could getting rid of the other roosters reduce the amount that he crows? Really, I'm probably keeping him either way, but I want to know if there is hope!
And sorry that got too long- apparently I felt a lot of backstory was necessary!
