I am really on the fence whether I should keep my cockerel or give him up. I had no intention of having a rooster I just wanted a handful of laying chickens but this one seems as dumb as a box of rocks. He takes longer to catch onto things and I just don't see him becoming a "flock leader".
Eartha was always the first one to try new things and seems to be the first one to catch on. She figured out how to get back in the elavated hen house and use the ramp the best. She has even gone in and come back out as if to show the others where to go which they finally went into without my assistance last night (YES!). So all 4 girls are in there and this dummy just stood there looking up and tweeting. Finally Lily came out, I'm pretty sure to guide him back in (unless I'm giving them too much credit for having brains) but she stayed there until he went in waited a bit and went in on her own.
Anyway here's my situation. I live on a half acre lot and the neighbors are fairly close. Technically this area is supposed to have 2 acres for livestock but there are a lot of smaller lots with backyard chickens and nobody seems to have a problem with it here or in the neighboring towns.
We also have a ton of wild birds out here,and they can be exceptionally loud, especially the bluejays. I'm wondering how much worse would a rooster crowing be than them or geese? Is it an individual thing? Will he for sure get mean as he ages? Will he take too many"liberties" with the hens?
They are all 9 weeks old so I'm not rushing into any decisions but from what I have read flock integration is best at around 12 weeks so if I do decide to re-home him I'd rather do it around that age.
I can also ask the neighbors if the crowing bothers them but I don't think they can answer that until he actually starts. Oh yeah will he get smarter as he ages? I'm joking but he really isn't too bright at all.
that's him on the left (he is gorgeous) I ended up blocking the area underneath the hen house until they catch on that they need to go up the ramp and inside at night.
Eartha was always the first one to try new things and seems to be the first one to catch on. She figured out how to get back in the elavated hen house and use the ramp the best. She has even gone in and come back out as if to show the others where to go which they finally went into without my assistance last night (YES!). So all 4 girls are in there and this dummy just stood there looking up and tweeting. Finally Lily came out, I'm pretty sure to guide him back in (unless I'm giving them too much credit for having brains) but she stayed there until he went in waited a bit and went in on her own.
Anyway here's my situation. I live on a half acre lot and the neighbors are fairly close. Technically this area is supposed to have 2 acres for livestock but there are a lot of smaller lots with backyard chickens and nobody seems to have a problem with it here or in the neighboring towns.
We also have a ton of wild birds out here,and they can be exceptionally loud, especially the bluejays. I'm wondering how much worse would a rooster crowing be than them or geese? Is it an individual thing? Will he for sure get mean as he ages? Will he take too many"liberties" with the hens?
They are all 9 weeks old so I'm not rushing into any decisions but from what I have read flock integration is best at around 12 weeks so if I do decide to re-home him I'd rather do it around that age.
I can also ask the neighbors if the crowing bothers them but I don't think they can answer that until he actually starts. Oh yeah will he get smarter as he ages? I'm joking but he really isn't too bright at all.
that's him on the left (he is gorgeous) I ended up blocking the area underneath the hen house until they catch on that they need to go up the ramp and inside at night.
