Setup: bought straight run chicks, ended up being 2-3 pullets, 4 cockerels:-(
My son's favorite ee roo, which I foolishly promised we would not get rid of when they were chicks, seems 'off.' He's scared of his own shadow, and even the pullets chase him. He's always trying to steal their food when they're out foraging, even from the pullets. Is this relatively common behavior for roosters on the bottom of the pecking order?
I can't decide what to do: I need to get rid of most of the other cockerels.
The alpha boy (ee) seems to have all the good traits: he watches really hard for hawks, has started doing the wing dance, and calls them over when he finds forage. He tends to feather pull on some of the other roos when they're locked in the run for the night, but never the girls.
The mille fleur roo never fights, or really does anything at all, he just sits on perches all day. The beta roo is a massive mischief maker and he's definitely going.
Should I keep alpha with favorite idiot so the girls have protection in the yard? Buy a couple more started pullets? Get rid of all boys but idiot so there's no fighting at all? Get rid of all boys but idiot and then buy a guardian roo of a super non-fighty type breed, like a cochin roo?
What are you guys thoughts?
My son's favorite ee roo, which I foolishly promised we would not get rid of when they were chicks, seems 'off.' He's scared of his own shadow, and even the pullets chase him. He's always trying to steal their food when they're out foraging, even from the pullets. Is this relatively common behavior for roosters on the bottom of the pecking order?
I can't decide what to do: I need to get rid of most of the other cockerels.
The alpha boy (ee) seems to have all the good traits: he watches really hard for hawks, has started doing the wing dance, and calls them over when he finds forage. He tends to feather pull on some of the other roos when they're locked in the run for the night, but never the girls.
The mille fleur roo never fights, or really does anything at all, he just sits on perches all day. The beta roo is a massive mischief maker and he's definitely going.
Should I keep alpha with favorite idiot so the girls have protection in the yard? Buy a couple more started pullets? Get rid of all boys but idiot so there's no fighting at all? Get rid of all boys but idiot and then buy a guardian roo of a super non-fighty type breed, like a cochin roo?
What are you guys thoughts?
