The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[lazy gardener]

@islandgirl82

Yes.... I just don't want to have all the drama during the winter especially.


On the pullet, I'm not sure if there was some event or point in time at which she started acting that way. They were all very nice little chicks but even when she was younger she'd bite when the others would just do the normal curious pecking. It didn't really strike me at the time because she was so small. But it has not stopped, and now she's added the standing up tall and making whiny/menacing sounds when we're face to face. That, combined with going out of her way to bite in general, makes things quite troublesome.

It is quite unfortunate to remove a pullet for soup. But I don't want to risk her going to another flock and behaving the same way. Imagine if this little lady would seek out one of your children just to bite them...

She's a pretty girl. You might consider re-homing her with full disclosure. Sometimes, moving to a new home/flock upsets their applecart enough that they change their ways! If her new flock master finds that the aggressive behavior continues when she is placed at the bottom of a new pecking order, she will make a wonderful stew.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have had many roosters and currently this year my total with the young ones is 23. I have zero human aggressive roosters. I judge all mine on how they treat the hens. Excessive mating and nothing else is one of the worst traits I see and those boys get culled. Young roosters can be a pain as they reach sexual maturity and hormones surge. About 4-12 months.

Roosters hatched in the spring will mature during the late summer and early fall as decreasing light will make hormones not surge as high as when they mature in the spring. Most young roosters than mature fully over winter and into the next spring before having a surge in hormones again with the increasing light. Those that still act like ninnies will be removed permanently, the good ones go on to be responsible young roosters who may still mate a bit too much, but they tidbit, dance and look out for danger. So for my flock most get a year before I make decisions on them that are permanent.

 

[islandgirl82]

I have had many roosters and currently this year my total with the young ones is 23. I have zero human aggressive roosters. I judge all mine on how they treat the hens. Excessive mating and nothing else is one of the worst traits I see and those boys get culled. Young roosters can be a pain as they reach sexual maturity and hormones surge. About 4-12 months.

Roosters hatched in the spring will mature during the late summer and early fall as decreasing light will make hormones not surge as high as when they mature in the spring. Most young roosters than mature fully over winter and into the next spring before having a surge in hormones again with the increasing light. Those that still act like ninnies will be removed permanently, the good ones go on to be responsible young roosters who may still mate a bit too much, but they tidbit, dance and look out for danger. So for my flock most get a year before I make decisions on them that are permanent.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience on this topic. I've had a few cockerels and roosters and though my first one was great, my 2nd two were terrible. The last one was fine but I didn't have enough hens for him and didn't want to get any more. This new cockerel is promising. Aside from how the roosters/cockerels treat my girls, I'm very interactive with my flock as are my children and being able to handle them matters to us so having our girls be kept away from us by a rooster is something else I've culled for. The new one seems to enjoy being handled even more than several of my girls which will hopefully make treating him for whatever he may need at some point or another much easier if the need arises.

 

[Leahs Mom]

23 Roosters

How many females?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

23 Roosters  


How many females?

You are going to make me do some math. My large breed shed has 31 mature hens, and 24 pullets. There are 3 large breed roosters and two bantam cochins as the flock roosters. I have 6 young large breed roosters currently. There's 3 d'uccle roosters that live there but don't mate any hens and mostly keep to themselves, they are getting old but still try to make troubles.

I have 3 mottled cochin bantam roosters from last year that are kept separately for now.

In my bantam flock there are 3 cochin bantam roosters and 10 mature hens, with 6 pullets and 3 little roosters.

My flocks are 100% free range so extra roosters are an asset. The roosters will escort groups around as they range, while others stay in the shed.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Anyone have SLW?

If so, what is their demeanor? Ability to forage? Ability to get along well with other birds?

Did you get them via hatchery or breeder?

 

[lazy gardener]

I had one SLW and liked her.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have always liked my SLW. They are easy going and pretty and they do get out and forage well. I have been quite surprised to read that people call them bullies when kept in small coops as mine have always been more meek. So be aware of that, perhaps some lines are more aggressive. I like Wyandotte in general as it's the perfect body type for colder weather.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Did you folks get them via hatchery or breeder?

 

[islandgirl82]

The SLWs I've had I also would not consider bullies but have had a tendency to keep the bullies in line which I like.