The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Leahs Mom]

Perfect way to not waste anything!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Question for y'all.

How do you decide which birds to cull from a small flock for "meanness".

I only have 8 hens. Roo is being slaughtered sometime soon and is being kept separate from the girls so he is not a question.

Some of the older girls are just plain mean. Even some of the younger girls are getting mean as well. Not letting others into the hen house, some target others, etc.


I now have 3 new 7 week olds that I don't want to learn that behavior from the olders. But I do want to integrate them into the flock before winter and probably by August. So I feel like I need to remove some before then but I don't know how to choose. Bad thing is that I know that when I remove some, others are likely to rise into new mean positions.

How to choose?

Sometimes I feel like just taking them all out and starting completely new.

 

[subhanalah]

Question for y'all.

How do you decide which birds to cull from a small flock for "meanness".

I only have 8 hens.  Roo is being slaughtered sometime soon and is being kept separate from the girls so he is not a question.

Some of the older girls are just plain mean.  Even some of the younger girls are getting mean as well.  Not letting others into the hen house, some target others, etc. 


I now have 3 new 7 week olds that I don't want to learn that behavior from the olders.  But I do want to integrate them into the flock before winter and probably by August.  So I feel like I need to remove some before then but I don't know how to choose.  Bad thing is that I know that when I remove some, others are likely to rise into new mean positions.

How to choose?

Sometimes I feel like just taking them all out and starting completely new. 

this is the second time I've personally read you say this. Three strikes you're out?

 

[Leahs Mom]

Yep. Now I have to just decide who goes.

 

[armorfirelady]

Hmmmm anyone mind some cute chick pics? I spent the day watching these amazing chicks go thru their area. Smart little suckers. Amazingly I even got some yard work done

And a video also. It's impossible,to get still pics of the babies. They cry like I am strangling them lol. I tried to get some of each but as you can see both Mommas were keeping an eye on me when I get close
Ok,video,didn't upload,to you tube :/ I'll try again later but I found other pics I took today. Any guesses on what grey one might be?

 

[armorfirelady]

Finally you tube decided to cooperate

 

[Leahs Mom]

Sigh. That's the nice thing about having a mamma. The kids can get in w/the flock so much sooner and have the benefit of the grass. sigh.

 

[lalaland]

nothing sweeter than chicks in clover! gonna watch the video in a second, but wanted to post pics too.

finally got pics of all 6 chicks crowded on the roost with the mamas. the chick on mama's back is part ee, has a beard but it doesn't show up here. also has a little tuft, but yellow legs. does that mean white eggs and not blue?


here's the other 4 chicks....the black puff is the tail of a chick. mama has a chick under each wing, one between her feet, and one squished between her and the other hen.



and all together now

 

[lalaland]

Question for y'all.

How do you decide which birds to cull from a small flock for "meanness".

I only have 8 hens. Roo is being slaughtered sometime soon and is being kept separate from the girls so he is not a question.

Some of the older girls are just plain mean. Even some of the younger girls are getting mean as well. Not letting others into the hen house, some target others, etc.


I now have 3 new 7 week olds that I don't want to learn that behavior from the olders. But I do want to integrate them into the flock before winter and probably by August. So I feel like I need to remove some before then but I don't know how to choose. Bad thing is that I know that when I remove some, others are likely to rise into new mean positions.

How to choose?

Sometimes I feel like just taking them all out and starting completely new.

I'm wondering if the problem would reappear.
Definitely there are some "mean" or cranky boss hens that keep others away and in line. but to have so many.....not just one....is it the breed? Is it environmental - not enough space or not enough places to get away from others using visual barriers (trees/bushes/hay bales/ pallet rooms/ etc. If I remember right you have a pretty good sized run...but also pretty open?

How confident are you that the problem is abnormal and not part of normal flock dynamics? I know you are pretty concerned about it. How much of the time is there fighting, and what does it look like? just curious....

roosters, thats another story IMHO

 

[Leahs Mom]

lala
During the summer they have the run of at least 1/2 acre. Probably a little more than that if I really measured. Part of it is wooded. Lots of places to range and hide and hang out.

The problems is trying to get food or into the hen shed. I think this all started during the winter when they didn't want to go out in the snow/cold and spent too much time in too small a space. Bad habits just continued on which is too bad.

Most of the time things are okay. But I'm looking ahead and considering 2 things. One is that I have the little ones to integrate and I don't want to perpetuate that behavior. The other is next winter. I'd like to have the youngers integrating and peace before then.