Théo and the chickens des Sauches

[ManueB]

This stuff isn't easy so go a bit easier on yourself.
It's at this stage multicoop chicken keeping when free ranging starts to make a lot of sense.
I've mentioned before that the roosters fought every day. They were living their lives with their hens and I was just there to fix the dents in body and ego.
I must write they look a pretty healthy lot for all that violence and murder.

Don’t be so hard on yourself and don’t be too hasty.
Gaston is still young isn’t he? So maybe he will calm down with respect to Chipie.
And it sounds like Theo is doing his job imposing some order in the chaos.
During the day it seems like mostly there is space for them to avoid each other. But no doubt there will be some fighting anyway.
At night, is there another ladder roost you could provide for whoever loses out in the bedtime squabbles?

Poor Chipie. These situations are so difficult.

One solution would be to build Gastounet separate sleeping quarters to keep Chipie safe from injury, and do a rotation by day, letting Théo and Chipie hang with everyone for part of the day while Gastounet has a time out, then vice versa.

We've done this a few times to let certain dynamics calm down. It's slightly labor intensive but temporary.

Either way, it sounds stressful, and I'm sorry you and the chickens des Sauches are going through it.

Thank you for your comforting posts, I was pretty upset yesterday. I think I'm too much of a wimp to keep chickens .
Our chickens weren't intended to free range : they have a 500 m2 / 4500 sq feet zone delimited by chicken nettings. However, only the ex-batts and Gaston are big enough to be kept in by the nettings. All the other chickens can get out when they want so you could say they free-range. We have also always let Gaston out and back in when he asks, so he could be with his siblings, and now he spends the whole day out so as not to get chased by Théo. So during the day it's not a problem, except he can't access the place they seem their safe zone in case a hawk goes by.

In the coop there already is an ideal other empty roost, the one that Théo and Chipie originally used, which is a bit hidden from sight and close to the entrance. I even put a ladder to reach it ten days ago. Yesterday evening, the problem was that neither Chipie or Gaston were willing to move.

I talked about it with my partner when he got home from work yesterday evening and the answer was "ok, so which one should we eat ?" and a lesson about how I should have known better and not gotten into this .

This morning I tried again discussing the different possible solutions I thought about for types of coops or structures to have another sleeping arrangement, and locations. I got plain refusal for some of the options but in the end he said maybe we could use some of the huge pile of old lumber we got when we took down the old house's roof to make an open coop type on the lowest part of the actual chicken zone. He isn't convinced at all it's necessary, so I told him he gets to settle the chickens to bed tonight and we would talk about it again.

How could I eat this guy ?

 

[HiEverybirdy]

I've had this heartbreak, and I've had the thought I wasn't I cut out for chicken keeping. But I think I am, and I know you are.

I just have to do it on my own terms. My approach has sometimes made life more complicated than it seems to be for other chicken tenders. But it's turned a lot simpler over time, as I figure things out by being with the chickens so much.

Our Andre reminds me of your Gastounet. When Andre and brother Merle (who is blue, not black--my French isn't good) decided they couldn't co-exist as bachelors anymore, it was an easy decision to move Merle back to the girls. They love him. Andre, on the other hand, was a stomping, pecking, sulking brute who didn't like sharing food, treats, or the roost. He's unfailingly relaxed with people, but chickens had started to despise him. Andre is massive, like Gastounet. He's easily able to inflict injury and, I believe, was responsible for several injuries that prompted us moving the boys out in the first place.

I never wanted to have a chicken living alone, but I wasn't interested in culling Andre just because he ended up being a spare (who eats a ton). I have total respect for people who can cull young birds with more ease, to solve for their flock, but I've tried that approach, and it doesn't suit who I am at this time.

We pulled Andre's mobile bachelor setup next to the other runs so he could have social interaction through the fences. I watched for signs of depression from living alone. It took a few days for him to begin eating as much as usual, but that may have been because he had to recover from battling Merle. In the beginning, he spent a lot of time evil-eying Merle through the fences. After a while, he started noticing other birds and finally learned gentlemanly behavior, like dancing and tidbitting, which he does for hens who flirt through the fence. Lately he's even started stamping and cooing in the corner of his coop, maybe trying to entice a hen to fly over the fence to lay there.

But overall, he's a giant, lazy guy who spends his days napping in the sun. And eating. So this setup is what's currently working for us. If we expand again, it would be to raise a group of hens for Andre to look after, if they like him. If something were to happen to Merle or Stilton, I also think their ladies would welcome grown-up Andre to live with them.

I'll echo @RoyalChick not to be hasty. Maybe there's a pot or another flock waiting for Gastounet, but if you don't want him to go, there's always a way to work it out.

Also, having separate coop-type spaces is helpful for a lot of reasons, not only for calming a cranky cockerel. Maybe it would help to convince your partner if you let him know that building more chicken spaces will make your lives easier in the long run? It's an investment in your inner peace.

(*Edited to add that something felt familiar, so I searched back and saw I wrote about this on Shadrach's thread back in May, when Théo was acting up. Sorry for the repetition! I suppose that demonstrates what a significant situation this was. It took a whole lot of thinking through, and I'm glad about how it's turned out.)

Back when the boys were buds.

Carrots flirting with the big fella.

 

[ManueB]

I've had this heartbreak, and I've had the thought I wasn't I cut out for chicken keeping. But I think I am, and I know you are.

I just have to do it on my own terms. My approach has sometimes made life more complicated than it seems to be for other chicken tenders. But it's turned a lot simpler over time, as I figure things out by being with the chickens so much.

Our Andre reminds me of your Gastounet. When Andre and brother Merle (who is blue, not black--my French isn't good) decided they couldn't co-exist as bachelors anymore, it was an easy decision to move Merle back to the girls. They love him. Andre, on the other hand, was a stomping, pecking, sulking brute who didn't like sharing food, treats, or the roost. He's unfailingly relaxed with people, but chickens had started to despise him. Andre is massive, like Gastounet. He's easily able to inflict injury and, I believe, was responsible for several injuries that prompted us moving the boys out in the first place.

I never wanted to have a chicken living alone, but I wasn't interested in culling Andre just because he ended up being a spare (who eats a ton). I have total respect for people who can cull young birds with more ease, to solve for their flock, but I've tried that approach, and it doesn't suit who I am at this time.

We pulled Andre's mobile bachelor setup next to the other runs so he could have social interaction through the fences. I watched for signs of depression from living alone. It took a few days for him to begin eating as much as usual, but that may have been because he had to recover from battling Merle. In the beginning, he spent a lot of time evil-eying Merle through the fences. After a while, he started noticing other birds and finally learned gentlemanly behavior, like dancing and tidbitting, which he does for hens who flirt through the fence. Lately he's even started stamping and cooing in the corner of his coop, maybe trying to entice a hen to fly over the fence to lay there.

But overall, he's a giant, lazy guy who spends his days napping in the sun. And eating. So this setup is what's currently working for us. If we expand again, it would be to raise a group of hens for Andre to look after, if they like him. If something were to happen to Merle or Stilton, I also think their ladies would welcome grown-up Andre to live with them.

I'll echo @RoyalChick not to be hasty. Maybe there's a pot or another flock waiting for Gastounet, but if you don't want him to go, there's always a way to work it out.

Also, having separate coop-type spaces is helpful for a lot of reasons, not only for calming a cranky cockerel. Maybe it would help to convince your partner if you let him know that building more chicken spaces will make your lives easier in the long run? It's an investment in your inner peace.

(*Edited to add that something felt familiar, so I searched back and saw I wrote about this on Shadrach's thread back in May, when Théo was acting up. Sorry for the repetition! I suppose that demonstrates what a significant situation this was. It took a whole lot of thinking through, and I'm glad about how it's turned out.)

Back when the boys were buds.
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Carrots flirting with the big fella.
View attachment 3306490

Thank you so much for taking the time to go through Andre's story again. It's very significant for me at this time! I'm glad the choices you made for him seem to work out, and it gives me hope that I will be able to find a solution for our situation. It would be a lot easier if my partner was convinced and had the same attachment to the roosters than I do, but that's the way it goes. I'll tell him the story of André . My step-father says his wife would like to take in one of the rooster but they don't let their chicken free range, it would be like sending one of them to prison. And I'm sure she has even less idea than I did when I got Théo, what it means to have a rooster in a flock.
It wouldn't need a lot of time and work to build a very simple coop, but I'm so unskilled with any manual work that I'm not sure I would be able to do it on my own.
*********
I'm glad to say although there was a lot of tension at roosting time and Chipie got thrown out once of the roost by Gaston, there was no actual fighting, maybe because my partner was locking them up and both roosters are more afraid of him than of me. Chipie jumped on Théo 's roost and collided into him, I was hoping she would stay with him but no, she got back on the upper roost next to Merle. And that was it for the night.

Cannelle had been doing better yesterday, but today was not good. Théo probably knows something is wrong because he doesn't bother her like he does the other hens.

A territorial frontier : Theo's gang inside the chicken net, Gastounet's just on the other side.

Piou-piou is way too small for Gastounet who tried to mate her several times today. It's a good thing she crouched and flattens completely to the ground because if she struggled he would probably really hurt her. She likes him for now and hangs out a lot more with him than Léa and Merle.

Cannelle stayed under cover most of the day and ate almost nothing.

 

[MaryJanet]

Thank you so much for taking the time to go through Andre's story again. It's very significant for me at this time! I'm glad the choices you made for him seem to work out, and it gives me hope that I will be able to find a solution for our situation. It would be a lot easier if my partner was convinced and had the same attachment to the roosters than I do, but that's the way it goes. I'll tell him the story of André . My step-father says his wife would like to take in one of the rooster but they don't let their chicken free range, it would be like sending one of them to prison. And I'm sure she has even less idea than I did when I got Théo, what it means to have a rooster in a flock.
It wouldn't need a lot of time and work to build a very simple coop, but I'm so unskilled with any manual work that I'm not sure I would be able to do it on my own.
*********
I'm glad to say although there was a lot of tension at roosting time and Chipie got thrown out once of the roost by Gaston, there was no actual fighting, maybe because my partner was locking them up and both roosters are more afraid of him than of me. Chipie jumped on Théo 's roost and collided into him, I was hoping she would stay with him but no, she got back on the upper roost next to Merle. And that was it for the night.

Cannelle had been doing better yesterday, but today was not good. Théo probably knows something is wrong because he doesn't bother her like he does the other hens.

A territorial frontier : Theo's gang inside the chicken net, Gastounet's just on the other side.
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Piou-piou is way too small for Gastounet who tried to mate her several times today. It's a good thing she crouched and flattens completely to the ground because if she struggled he would probably really hurt her. She likes him for now and hangs out a lot more with him than Léa and Merle.

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Cannelle stayed under cover most of the day and ate almost nothing.
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I love the photos but not the news of Canelle struggling or of Gastounet attacking Chipie.

I only have one thought about the fights, which I notice no one else has mentioned. But I don't keep roosters, so you mustn't take me too seriously. I would let Théo educate Gastounet, even though it will be brutal and they will hurt each other. It may be the quickest way for Gastounet to learn.

 

[ManueB]

I love the photos but not the news of Canelle struggling or of Gastounet attacking Chipie.

I only have one thought about the fights, which I notice no one else has mentioned. But I don't keep roosters, so you mustn't take me too seriously. I would let Théo educate Gastounet, even though it will be brutal and they will hurt each other. It may be the quickest way for Gastounet to learn.

It's a good point, and it's also what my partner believes. For now, there has been no real fighting, just a lot of running. I let Gastounet "escape" by allowing him to go on the other side of the chicken nettings : what I'm scared of, is that one of the rooster would get a heart failure from running so fast for long if I didn't do that. They turn purple. This may be exaggerated, but I really get the feeling they wouldn't stop if I didn't do this. One time Gastounet got so scared he tried to force his way through the netting and he could have strangled himself from panic.

Sooner or later, he will realize he's four times bigger and something like seven times heavier. Then he could really hurt Théo who's a tiny cross bantam. Even though he's heavy, it's impressive how high he can jump, and how fast he is. I don't think Théo's agility would be sufficient.

 

[ManueB]

Today was a much better day for the chickens. Yesterday they had spent the greater part of the day under cover but today they enjoyed the sun and scratched around the leaves that are finally beginning to fall.

Cannelle was better - go figure. It's amazing how she looks at some points like she will die before the end of the day, and a few minutes after she's scratching around like nothing was wrong apart from her heavy molting. Yesterday I heard a zootechnician researcher on the radio who was asked if domestic animals are conscious that they will die. She said there wasn't sufficient research done to know this, but that she was personally sure that domestic animals do not share human anxiety of illness and death.
Gastounet and Piou-piou are the new official couple. I'm not sure how this can work out .
Chipie hung out a bit with Théo outside but she still evades him when he starts dancing around her.

Only Blanche laid today, which means Nougat has stopped laying for almost a week apart from that softshell egg. She still looks and acts normal.
Roosting was almost without drama today , compared to the previous night's. Gaston did need some coaxing to go to the coop, but everything went fine . Chipie left her place when Gaston arrived and switched to the other extremity of the roost.

 

[ManueB]

The day started with three hours of heavy rain and a storm, which made us very happy. However, it was also a problem for Gastounet who really wanted to shelter in the coop but was terrified of Théo - I locked all the other chickens in the coop (which they didn't want to leave anyway) and got Gastounet in the new covered run. At least it was useful for this !
Then the rain stopped and gave way in ten minutes to clear blues skies.

Gaston and Piou-piou are now an official couple and they hang out together all the time.
Blanche and Brune both laid but Nougat didn't once more and for the first time I thought she looked slightly off in the evening.
Chipie hung out a lot with Théo but still keeps him away whenever he makes gesture of hoarding or lating.

Roosting time was complicated again. Théo stopped Gaston from coming inside the chicken netted zone several times, then Gaston didn't want to come in because he was scared. Once he was in the coop Chipie created disorder by roosting on Gaston's team's place and refusing to move. Gaston tried to attack her though Merle was between her and him. Then Théo got upset and acted like he would fly to attack Gaston. But in the end they calmed down.

Cannelle had another quite good day though she's heavily molting, but in the evening she looked off again.

The chickens all enjoyed the wet soil and leaves after the rain finding slugs and worms.

Merle was so pretty bathing in the dark wet earth

Gastounet was very interested by the trimmer

After closing the chicken coop at dusk

 

[MaryJanet]

After closing the chicken coop at dusk

Manue, this photo is wonderful. May I use it as my computer wallpaper?

 

[RoyalChick]

The day started with three hours of heavy rain and a storm, which made us very happy. However, it was also a problem for Gastounet who really wanted to shelter in the coop but was terrified of Théo - I locked all the other chickens in the coop (which they didn't want to leave anyway) and got Gastounet in the new covered run. At least it was useful for this !
Then the rain stopped and gave way in ten minutes to clear blues skies.

Gaston and Piou-piou are now an official couple and they hang out together all the time.
Blanche and Brune both laid but Nougat didn't once more and for the first time I thought she looked slightly off in the evening.
Chipie hung out a lot with Théo but still keeps him away whenever he makes gesture of hoarding or lating.

Roosting time was complicated again. Théo stopped Gaston from coming inside the chicken netted zone several times, then Gaston didn't want to come in because he was scared. Once he was in the coop Chipie created disorder by roosting on Gaston's team's place and refusing to move. Gaston tried to attack her though Merle was between her and him. Then Théo got upset and acted like he would fly to attack Gaston. But in the end they calmed down.

Cannelle had another quite good day though she's heavily molting, but in the evening she looked off again.
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The chickens all enjoyed the wet soil and leaves after the rain finding slugs and worms.
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Merle was so pretty bathing in the dark wet earth
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Gastounet was very interested by the trimmer
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After closing the chicken coop at dusk
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Merle

 

[MaryJanet]

Merle

Her green iridescence is wonderful.