I've had all kinds of chicken discord since we finished moving last week. I, sadly, have my egg layers in a space that's to small for them all and I can't do anything about it right now - I have a solution, but it's not ready yet. So, I have four 'active' Orpington cockerels and they've been together since hatching. One decided to get in a fight with the other - cockerel #4 tore up #3. I took #3 out because he was the worst off. I go in today and cockerel #2 is bloody and beat up. I decided #4 needed an attitude adjustment, so I chased him around and gave him a boot a couple of times when he tried mounting one of the girls in front of me until he was literally hiding behind the skirts of the girls. Satisfied I won, I head off to the temporary bantam Cochin cockerel's dog kennel. I walk up to it and my buff Columbian cockerel, Byron - the biggest and prettiest of the bunch - is trying to wing dance with me. He's never done this before. I gave him a firm warning that he had better not. That sent him over to the doggy igloo as I entered the kennel and then he skirted back over to me and as I was just about to bend over for the waterer, he jumped at me with what little spurs he has aimed at my face. I chased him, I flogged him, I 'pecked' his head, I picked him up and carried him around. After about a half an hour, I held him to the ground in the kennel (of course the other 4 boys really wanted to jump on him and beat him up, but I shooed one with a swift back-hand and the rest stayed away after that). I let him up when he was done resisting. Now, I walk out of the house and he runs and hides. Hopefully this is his will be his only infraction. I need him for my breeding program, but I will not tolerate those actions. I have two kids, an 8 and 10 year old that help me do chores. If that had been my 10yr old son, he would have had claws in is face.
A lot of bad boys this week. Think coal in their stocking will help? I think three of the five will be roasting over an open fire... Or the like... Before the end of the year. Nom-nom-nom!!!
A lot of bad boys this week. Think coal in their stocking will help? I think three of the five will be roasting over an open fire... Or the like... Before the end of the year. Nom-nom-nom!!!
