orbray
In the Brooder
- Jun 18, 2021
- 16
- 34
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Hi everyone!
I'm Tracey. I got my first chickens about 16 months ago, they were/are older (not sure if officially hens then) Australorps. Sweetest little ladies ever. Anyway, as you all know four was not enough. About 10 weeks ago I added some chicks to the mix - 2 silkies, 2 buff orpingtons, and two orpington/barred rock mixes, a sweet RI red and a silver spangled Hamburg (sold as a pullet and given to me by a friend). It is quite obvious now that the Hamburg is a cockerel (started crowing about 3 weeks ago) and is mounting the older gals on the regular. Of the chicks, I am fairly certain that the orpington mixes and the buff orpingtons are also cockerels. The silkies and the RI appear to be pullets. None of the possible cockerels have crowed yet and they are all very sweet to each other. Here come the questions:
1. Are they not crowing because there is a clear male lead?
2. Say I add six pullets to the mix making it a 2:1 ratio of female to male is that ok?
3. They all free range in our yard during the day, and everyone seems cool. Just wondering if this is only temporary. What would cause the younger males to get aggressive with each other in the future? The younger birds sleep in an enclosed cage at night with the older birds roosting above.
4. I really don't want to cull or rehome any of them.
Any advice or words of wisdom are greatly appreciated,
I'm Tracey. I got my first chickens about 16 months ago, they were/are older (not sure if officially hens then) Australorps. Sweetest little ladies ever. Anyway, as you all know four was not enough. About 10 weeks ago I added some chicks to the mix - 2 silkies, 2 buff orpingtons, and two orpington/barred rock mixes, a sweet RI red and a silver spangled Hamburg (sold as a pullet and given to me by a friend). It is quite obvious now that the Hamburg is a cockerel (started crowing about 3 weeks ago) and is mounting the older gals on the regular. Of the chicks, I am fairly certain that the orpington mixes and the buff orpingtons are also cockerels. The silkies and the RI appear to be pullets. None of the possible cockerels have crowed yet and they are all very sweet to each other. Here come the questions:
1. Are they not crowing because there is a clear male lead?
2. Say I add six pullets to the mix making it a 2:1 ratio of female to male is that ok?
3. They all free range in our yard during the day, and everyone seems cool. Just wondering if this is only temporary. What would cause the younger males to get aggressive with each other in the future? The younger birds sleep in an enclosed cage at night with the older birds roosting above.
4. I really don't want to cull or rehome any of them.
Any advice or words of wisdom are greatly appreciated,
Hello Tracey and welcome to BYC, You found an Amazing Poultry Community to be a part of with many great knowledgeable members, who are more then willing to jump in and help you along your journey with any questions you may have. 
