Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[rural mouse]

Just out of interest, how many of you see the smallest/most junior hens/pullets trying to become the cockerel/roosters favourite?
In my experience it tends not to last. Most roosters once they mature have settled on senior hens as favourites.

I need to do more observations on this. Currently I have 3 roosters and 4 cockerels. 2 of the roos are semi-spatting (moulting this year brought about a change in which was top dog). The smallest of the cockerels has been backing up the new top dog. The rest of the cockerels have been attempting courtship and chasing/grabbing when opportunities present. Hens scream for help and one of the other males comes running to knock the offender off. Sometimes the bird that comes running is one of the other hens, usually a 2 year old. I have 2 brahmas in that age group who are quite willing to do that. They're also larger than the cockerels. The other 2 brahmas are 4 and choose to scream and stand up. The cockerel doing the grabbing doesn't want to let go, but struggles to figure out how to get on board, buying time for a rescuer's arrival.

In the past, I had a pair of cockerels working together to maul the hens: 1 mounted while the other stood watch, then they swapped. Once they got into a royal spat with each other and then went to the freezer.

Currently, which hens get grabbed depend upon where the roos are. There are 30 ladies, only 3 of which are pullets. The pullets and cockerels hatched the 1st week of last July, so even the pullets could be laying. I haven't seen any eggs small enough to be new layers, only the somewhat smaller starting up again eggs.

I've seen wing shuffles and tidbit calls from all the cockerels and instant response to hen help calls that do NOT involve aiding the cockerel she wants help with. But I've even seen them make a run at the top hen who has offspring with the former top roo but doesn't seem to have a current favorite roo.

 

[HiEverybirdy]

This pic needs to be entered in the calendar contest if it hasn't already!

Thank you! It was It was one of the 4 I entered in 2024 for the 2025 calendar. The winner was a photo taken the same day. See it below--our Miss Decembers, with Starla in the center.

This image hanging on our fridge last month may have been part of why I've been grieving her so much lately.

So you need to post it in the winter photo contest too. If that is allowed.

I didn't know there was a winter photo contest. I rarely win any themed photo contests on BYC, though

 

[RoyalChick]

Thank you! It was It was one of the 4 I entered in 2024 for the 2025 calendar. The winner was a photo taken the same day. See it below--our Miss Decembers, with Starla in the center.

This image hanging on our fridge last month may have been part of why I've been grieving her so much lately.


I didn't know there was a winter photo contest. I rarely win any themed photo contests on BYC, though

View attachment 4279537

 

[fuzzi]

This morning I took some old rolls to the coops, as a "treat". As I crumbled and scattered crumbs I noticed Jacob (6 mo old cockerel) calling hens to the crumbs he found. Zack was doing the same, but no conflict came of it. I'm pleased that Jacob is displaying manners.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

We’ve been in California since last Friday, and my youngest has been staying at our house, chicken tending.

Morning update from her on a cold morning, including Trudy and Willow under the not-quite-yet sunspot:

 

[Skyeknight]

Yeah, got him for free from friends because he kept charging their family members. I am not going to say no to a free, and according to them, show quality Ayam Cemani.

Just out of curiosity. How is this post informative?

I have shared before but will share again for memory refreshment. I know that he was hatched by incubator and the only male of the Ayam Cemani chicks they hatched. Don't know if other chicks were present, so no idea if he had interactions with any other roosters before I got him. Now that I think about it his son that I hatched might actually be the only male he has met so far.

He is about 1.5 years old now, so should be mature behaviour wise. He does have a 6.5 and 5.5 year old hen teaching him manners, well maybe if they weren't bullies to my pullets themselves. He does tend to peck the youngsters walking by, only after they started laying did he stop that. The 2 older hens were clearly his favorites.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I thought, wow, look at Buff’s comb!! Then I realized it was the shrub rake we use to herd them along.

 

[RoyalChick]

Just out of curiosity. How is this post informative?

I have shared before but will share again for memory refreshment. I know that he was hatched by incubator and the only male of the Ayam Cemani chicks they hatched. Don't know if other chicks were present, so no idea if he had interactions with any other roosters before I got him. Now that I think about it his son that I hatched might actually be the only male he has met so far.

He is about 1.5 years old now, so should be mature behaviour wise. He does have a 6.5 and 5.5 year old hen teaching him manners, well maybe if they weren't bullies to my pullets themselves. He does tend to peck the youngsters walking by, only after they started laying did he stop that. The 2 older hens were clearly his favorites.

Because I asked you a question and you answered it. You conveyed information to me that I had actually asked for and therefore I found your post to be informative.
If I offended in some way, I can easily change my reaction.

 

[Skyeknight]

Because I asked you a question and you answered it. You conveyed information to me that I had actually asked for and therefore I found your post to be informative.
If I offended in some way, I can easily change my reaction.

No you haven't offended me at all! Was just a bit confused at first why it's informative that my beautiful Ayam Cemani has always a tolerable PITA

 

[Molpet]

Just out of interest, how many of you see the smallest/most junior hens/pullets trying to become the cockerel/roosters favourite?
In my experience it tends not to last. Most roosters once they mature have settled on senior hens as favourites.

Usually I see the pullets getting bullied and seeking the rooster, but usually a cockerel . Probably cockerel because the bully hens don't want her by their man