The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[lalaland]

I have a male and female set of chickens that have formed a pair bond. The problem is I am not keeping that male, but want to keep the female. I have found a home for the male. My question is if I split them up will she get over it? I have never had two form a pair bond before.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Finished digging out the chicken door end of the coop. Drifts were 3-4' high, and no sooner did I have the chicken door open then there were hens coming on out for some sun and fresh air. Some even were dustbathing in the powder snow that had blown under the coop.

Here's an update on Booster's comb, you can see the dead black tissue which I expect will fall off in a month or two.
His wattles are looking pretty good and healed up.


nice and dry looking too


just for comparison, here is how he looked when the frostbite first was showing up:



so you can see why I think it is an improvement. Poor boy. I still have to deal with him attacking my boots, and he gets harassed by Buster the alpha rooster. Not sure if he won't turn into soup this spring. Its easy to pick him up if I can corner him, and its always in the coop that he feels threatened and attacks because there isn't much room to maneuver. If it continues once he is outside, he will have to go because I can't imagine being bare legged and having him go for my feet!

I have a soft spot for him because he is the best hawk alert and always watching the skies. Buster, not so much!

Thank you for the update on the frostbite! It is looking good. I'll be interested to see what happens with the comb after the warm weather comes in. I have to say it looks better than what I've seen when they're brought in and out of the cold and "treated".

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:

I'm hoping someone has some experience with this!

 

[TeaChick]

My kids just came in and told me that my newest pullet (I think) was trying to mate one of my hens.
What?!?!?!
What is going on?
I know the hen is a hen; she's been laying.
Here are all the pics I have on my computer of the supposed pullet (I really do think she's a pullet, but..... I guess you never know for sure until they start laying or fertilizing eggs). (I didn't mention crowing b/c apparently that's not something that only roosters do).
Anyway, here are the pics I have:

This is her; admittedly not a great picture.
I took it in mid-Jan when I got her; she was hatched at the end of Sept.


Here's a picture of her and a cockerel (or rooster; IDK whether this is Picard who had not started crowing or Will who had).
All three of them were hatched on the same day.

What is she doing?
Does this mean she's a he?
Is she copying what she's seen Eddie (sr. roo, well, only roo) do, and what Picard attempted to do with her?
Is she showing dominance?
What is she doing? -and- Is it natural? (or should I be worried?)

 

[aaggjg]

My kids just came in and told me that my newest pullet (I think) was trying to mate one of my hens.
What?!?!?!
What is going on?
I know the hen is a hen; she's been laying.
Here are all the pics I have on my computer of the supposed pullet (I really do think she's a pullet, but..... I guess you never know for sure until they start laying or fertilizing eggs). (I didn't mention crowing b/c apparently that's not something that only roosters do).
Anyway, here are the pics I have:

This is her; admittedly not a great picture.
I took it in mid-Jan when I got her; she was hatched at the end of Sept.


Here's a picture of her and a cockerel (or rooster; IDK whether this is Picard who had not started crowing or Will who had).
All three of them were hatched on the same day.

What is she doing?
Does this mean she's a he?
Is she copying what she's seen Eddie (sr. roo, well, only roo) do, and what Picard attempted to do with her?
Is she showing dominance?
What is she doing? -and- Is it natural? (or should I be worried?)

I'm confused by your story and which "she" tried to mate who.....

I only have hens and my Alpha hen has jumped on top of my other hens to show dominance ... only once that I remember.... but then again I had hen #3 crow this morning!!!

 

[TeaChick]

I'm confused by your story and which "she" tried to mate who.....

I only have hens and my Alpha hen has jumped on top of my other hens to show dominance ... only once that I remember.... but then again I had hen #3 crow this morning!!!

The brown chicken in my pics is a pullet.
She "tried to mate with Caramel" (Caramel is one of my hens), in the words of one of my kids.
I hope she was just showing dominance; she is larger than the other hens now, even though she is younger; the size difference is b/c of the breeds that they are.

 

[delisha]

I have a male and female set of chickens that have formed a pair bond. The problem is I am not keeping that male, but want to keep the female. I have found a home for the male. My question is if I split them up will she get over it? I have never had two form a pair bond before.

I have an Orpington pair..they cam together..grew up together..I brooded them together..I free range them together..i take her and put her with another male a few times a year..when she is done and I let her out..she goes back to her man..if he is in a different pen and locked up..she find someone till he is available..they always are together when they can be..they do not *suffer* when apart. They just are bonded like hatch sisters.

Quote:
It is healing nice..

Quote: there is a difference between mating/sex and a show of dominance. Mating exchanges fluid.

 

[TeaChick]

I have an Orpington pair..they cam together..grew up together..I brooded them together..I free range them together..i take her and put her with another male a few times a year..when she is done and I let her out..she goes back to her man..if he is in a different pen and locked up..she find someone till he is available..they always are together when they can be..they do not *suffer* when apart. They just are bonded like hatch sisters.


It is healing nice..
there is a difference between mating/sex and a show of dominance. Mating exchanges fluid.

I haven't witnessed this personally. My kids (old enough to understand) are telling me that she's doing "the same thing" as my rooster does. I think she's showing dominance (like puppies mounting each other, not mating, just acting out I'm bigger than you or stronger or whatever, better and higher in the pack, at any rate).
Thank you very much!!!
I don't think fluids are being exchanged, but the main concern is whether Marigold is a pullet or a cockerel.

 

[ki4got]

I'm posting all over the place. LOL

it's finally in the works! anyone interested in saving the Dorking, we are working to import dozens of eggs of several varieties from the UK. the timeline is that we would get the eggs sometime april to june of next year (2015) and anyone who wants to "donate" to the cause will get their eggs/chicks/trio the following year, as they become available. the reason for the timeline, there is a grant we can apply for, but applications are accepted in October and a decision is made in early January. In addition, it gives our breeder time to build up his stock and make sure he has enough of each variety we want to be able to provide the numbers of eggs that will be wanted...

if anyone's interested, we have a closed facebook group that we're using to do all our research, troubleshooting and hashing out the details... you can pm me here or on facebook, or susan catt (if you have her on your list).

i'm so excited about this project as it may bring life back to a declining breed...

 

[misbhaven]

I have red dorkings ..5 hens and a Roo, and a unrelated pullet and cockrel in a brooder...