The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[LeslieDJoyce]

One of my friends keeps 4 - 5 roosters (Dorkings, Wyandotte, Cochin) all in the same coop with hens and then free ranges them all day. They seem to do OK but it also depends on the roosters, breeds and how many hens there are. Sounds like you have a pretty good rooster/hen ratio.

Let's see what others (with more experience) have to say on this - (<--- LOL - Aoxa and Delisha must have been writing at the same time I was. Listne to their advice.

I'm quite new to chickens, but I have multiple roosters with my flock. I'm having mixed results with that.

I have nearly 60 chickens in my main flock, all raised together, all sharing a single coop and pasture(s). Three are full size roosters, and represent three of the different breeds in my flock. These three roosters get along well and do a great job of leading/protecting the flock. I really like having them around. There is definitely a "top cock." All three have harems. I think as long as there are enough females to go around and the roosters aren't aggressive it can work to have multiple roosters. I'm aiming for at least a 10:1 ratio.

BUT ... I also have two bantam roosters in this flock and neither of those has a harem. One of the bantams is a bit of a trouble maker in my opinion, the other is pretty sweet. They both stalk for opportunities "borrow" hens from the full-sized roosters, and this can cause discord. I am seriously considering getting rid of the one trouble-maker even though I currently have the 10:1 ratio. I just don't like how the one bantam forces himself on the hens ... it leaves them looking a little too rough.

The trouble-maker bantam has figured out how to mate successfully with the full-sized hens and out of the 8 chicks we've hatched, two are obviously his -- that's kinda cute. The other bantam ... he does try, the little darling. Even if he manages to catch a hen, he doesn't have a clue how to hit the mark.

I also have a younger flock. These "September birds" are just about ready to start transferring into the main flock ... one breed has already started laying and the roosters in that pen are looking, sounding and acting like roosters. Because I'm adding more pullets of new breeds, I MAY also try to integrate a rooster or two. It will depend on if they can figure out how to get along.

 

[kian]

Okay all you wonderful BYCers, do any if you have a chicken that is scared of heights?? Seems that I do! Snow, one of my 18 week old New Hampshires, gets up on the roost every night with no problem, but every morning, she is the last one down by several minutes. I watch her and she paces back and forth, looking down at the floor until she gets up the nerve to jump! I can almost hear her saying to herself " It's okay, only a couple feet down. I can do this, I did it yesterday..." It cracks me up. Of course I am usually encouraging her too!

 

[stonykill]

Okay all you wonderful BYCers, do any if you have a chicken that is scared of heights?? Seems that I do! Snow, one of my 18 week old New Hampshires, gets up on the roost every night with no problem, but every morning, she is the last one down by several minutes. I watch her and she paces back and forth, looking down at the floor until she gets up the nerve to jump! I can almost hear her saying to herself " It's okay, only a couple feet down. I can do this, I did it yesterday..." It cracks me up. Of course I am usually encouraging her too!

no, but I have a Runner Drake who doesn't like rain

. When it is raining he stays in the coop most of the day just looking out the door while everyone else is out enjoying it

 

[aoxa]

Okay all you wonderful BYCers, do any if you have a chicken that is scared of heights?? Seems that I do! Snow, one of my 18 week old New Hampshires, gets up on the roost every night with no problem, but every morning, she is the last one down by several minutes. I watch her and she paces back and forth, looking down at the floor until she gets up the nerve to jump! I can almost hear her saying to herself " It's okay, only a couple feet down. I can do this, I did it yesterday..." It cracks me up. Of course I am usually encouraging her too!

Nope.

I see it when they are looking to fly up, but never noticed them doing it to fly down.

 

[Sally8]

A duck afraid of rain is one of the funniest things I've ever read. Our turkey, Chuck did the same thing. Paced back and forth for quite awhile before he jumped down. I lowered the roost for him and it's a lot better. He still paces some though.
I have 16 hens and 2 roosters all together day and night. Wrinkles has his harem (which is most of them) and Bruce has 3 and sometimes 4. Bruce tries to help Wrinkles out once in a while and there will be no hanky panky going on during Wrinkles reign. Other than those few tense moments, they are fine. I also have fed layers crumbles from the time I quit chick feed to both hens and roo's. Everyone seems fine.

From what I'm reading here, once my eggs hatch I do NOT want to feed medicated, am I right? Hatch day is soon!

Hubby and I were discussing, how cold does it become when you no longer decide it's colder. Do you go out at -20 and say it's cold, then next week go out at -40 and say, Man it's a lot colder than last week. This morning at -5 f, it didn't feel as cold as yesterday at 10 with wind. I was surprised that they didn't close our schools today. I've seen them close them for less. (The record here is -22, I've seen it -20 many times.)

 

[delisha]

Okay all you wonderful BYCers, do any if you have a chicken that is scared of heights?? Seems that I do! Snow, one of my 18 week old New Hampshires, gets up on the roost every night with no problem, but every morning, she is the last one down by several minutes. I watch her and she paces back and forth, looking down at the floor until she gets up the nerve to jump! I can almost hear her saying to herself " It's okay, only a couple feet down. I can do this, I did it yesterday..." It cracks me up. Of course I am usually encouraging her too!

Funny..
Bet it is cute to watch

 

[Melabella]

just came in from mucking stalls, and I am ducking freezing.......

 

[aoxa]

Stony,
There's an article on the front page of BYC that states Sumatras aren't good foragers.

Says the same thing about hybrid layers. My layers are great foragers. Obviously no experience with these breeds I guess.

 

[SandBsmom]

Okay all you wonderful BYCers, do any if you have a chicken that is scared of heights?? Seems that I do! Snow, one of my 18 week old New Hampshires, gets up on the roost every night with no problem, but every morning, she is the last one down by several minutes. I watch her and she paces back and forth, looking down at the floor until she gets up the nerve to jump! I can almost hear her saying to herself " It's okay, only a couple feet down. I can do this, I did it yesterday..." It cracks me up. Of course I am usually encouraging her too!

I have a giant cochin who is like this! I always thought is was because she's such a hefty girl and there's not a ton of landing room in our coop for her to fly down to. I can always hear the crash when she tried to "gracefully" descend from the roost! But she does the same pacing back and forth, looking, starting to jump several times before actually taking the leap of faith. It is kind of funny.

 

[delisha]

Quote: Sounds like you have a lot to contribute to the group with all of your birds and expirences..

Welcome!!