Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

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A bit warmer than yesterday and it stayed dry.
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Got the roost bar up.
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Henry, Matilda and Lima in the old coop. Lime wanted to perch outside. I should just let her, but I didn't. I put her in with Henry.
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The rest.
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ppruitt said:
Finally caught up again! Been repairing from the hurricane and building a new run so I can have my backyard again. @Shadrach I wanted to thank you for all the insight you have given into chicken behavior. I purchased straight run Buff Orpingtons this spring and ended up with 19 total. Eight of which were roosters. They have been a holy terror for the most part. The poor pullets couldn't get a minute's peace and kept flying over the fence to free range on the property. I knew I wasn't keeping all the roos, so I leg banded all of them and began taking notes on behavior. Some were total asses. Attacking the hens and even me. Bullying everyone. Hogging the feed, etc. I noted which ones were calmer and less aggressive.

One day I noticed a hen on the back porch, scratching around in my peat moss. I had the porch screened off with cheap plastic and she had managed to get in. She sat down in the peat moss and acted like she was nesting. While watching her, I noticed a rooster staying nearby. When I would move towards the hen, he would follow and make noises at me. LOL

The next day he followed her onto the porch and when other roosters showed interest in what the hen was doing, he led them off to an area away from the hen. He did this every day. On the third or fourth day, she layed an egg! I saw him mate her several times. He was not rough and she seemed fine with it. Unlike the non stop attempted rape with the other roosters.

Watching this roo, I saw that he watched over 'his' hen, but I also saw other hens gravitating towards him. He and his hen always roosted together, but about a week ago he started having additional hens. I leg banded them the same color as him so I could monitor what was happening.

He stands guard over the hens while they are eating and I have seen him tidbit for them. Today I saw him break up a fuss between two hens. For a hatchery rooster, he certainly seems to know what his job is all about. And performs it well. I have yet to see any other rooster mate a hen. Looks like the hens made the decision for me. However, without reading your information here over the last 6 months, I would not have known what I was seeing or how to interpret the behavior. So, thank you for educating me (and many others I'm sure) on how chickens interact.

PS, please excuse the ratty tarp. We will be moving the coop Tuesday and I have a brand new, shiny silver one to replace it.
Click to expand...
Beautiful roo. Thank you for sharing his story.
 
How is C on biosecurity Shad? Somehow I can't imagine them using a bootwash... :lol:
but at least the requirement (as of yesterday, nationwide) to fence (not house) free range poultry is met already at the allotments. And the hygiene standard is a lot better in the new coop than the old, which also means the old is better than it was for those few birds who still choose to roost there.
 

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