The Omega Rocks: The Last & Ultimate Barred Plymouth Rock Flock

[speckledhen]

Lisa, I wanted to add that I really do love the bantam Cochin roosters. They do get testy with each other, but it never usually ends up a real battle. If I had just a simple laying flock, no reproduction required, I might continue to keep one with whatever was in that group because they really are sweet.

Mace loves his big, BR girls a lot. I was sad that he lost Athena and will likely lose another by winter, but I will figure out something for him if he is still alive without hens. The back of his comb is leaning over to one side a lot more than normal and he is 3+ years old now so it could be age, the heat or he could be showing signs of something like the other four bantam Cochins suffered from later in their lives, what I feel is a genetic condition in those splash bantam Cochins, all the same symptoms, prob degenerative since it came on in stages for all of them. I hope Gunnar never goes that way; he's the most precious, sweet little man, truly a lover not a fighter and very handsome.

 

[speckledhen]

I had to separate the pullets from the cockerels because of Ethel's scalp injury. So, I let all the males out together for the first time in about two weeks or so. They've never had complete separation from each other so it went not too bad. Little Man and his Big Brother kept trying to start something with the others, but the big dude with the floppy comb broke it up every time and disciplined his own flock mate. That guy has serious leader potential(not in my flock, but he is a keeper for someone!) He started no fights, only broke up several, caused every time by Little Man and his brother. Those two, good grief. By the time they were all back in the inside pen, all that big guy had to do was look at any of them and they scooted out of his way. When a scuffle briefly broke out with Nathaniel and Duncan, he swooped in and stopped it. They are all inside now and I hear no drama. The two troublemaking brothers are avoiding their leader, even staying inside a nest to get away from him.
Nathaniel was doing his Olive Oyl impersonation in the pen, verbal hand-wringing, walking back and forth so my husband went into the pen, sat on a roost bar and picked him up. That sweet cockerel sat down on Tom's lap and was just telling him all about this unsettling situation, LOL. I knew he'd be a really good one. Check this out. I think my hubby is already attached, LOL.

This is the bouncer in there now, apparently. Good boy, has some smarts. My camera was refusing to focus today for some reason, sorry.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

He isn't a looker, but that doesn't always matter. He will be a great flock leader. Hopefully he finds a home.

 

[speckledhen]

He isn't a looker, but that doesn't always matter. He will be a great flock leader. Hopefully he finds a home.

Yeah, his comb really ruins the effect, but he's very wide and has kind eyes and intelligence. He's missing a few tail feathers, molted them out but his barring is very good. Some backyard flock should be happy to have him. He's not a fighter, doesn't start anything, but he'll definitely finish it. I just don't need him here because I have better choices.

 

[1muttsfan]

Too bad you don't have a couple big solid hens that could teach those boys some manners. Nothing like a good assertive girl saying no to a hormonal teen.

 

[speckledhen]

Too bad you don't have a couple big solid hens that could teach those boys some manners. Nothing like a good assertive girl saying no to a hormonal teen.

I did experiment a few days, put the EE hens with that group. The boys stalked them as a team like interlopers. The EEs just ran or hung around watching them. If it had been my late black Ameraucana hen, Gypsy, they'd be saying "Yes, ma'am!" by now. I'll try again, though, when the pullets go back in with my three chosen cockerels. I may incorporate the EEs with the pullets first, but not set in concrete. I think maybe Cora and Brandy would be better teachers because they can be brutal with underlings, but Bash would have to be restrained seeing his two last girls with those young whippersnappers. I bet Maddie could do it, though. She has Zara and her own mother running scared. She's uber-cranky right now!

 

[speckledhen]

I'm starting to call the floppy combed guy The Bouncer. He's something else. He keeps the peace in there with the other six males and when there was a perceived threat today (doe with twin fawns at the pasture fence, LOL), when the others stopped watching her, he stood guard at the fence until she turned to leave and went out of sight. He and Duncan are getting along well. Duncan also stood with him until the threat was gone. I love seeing their personalities form.

Ethel's head is healing, has a big scab on it. In a couple of days, I think, if it doesn't rain (again), I'll put the EE hens out with those BR pullets and see what happens. It would be great to see the three cockerels have eight girls to tend when they all go back together. I think Rayna and Layla, especially, can teach the boys some manners.

None of the sale cockerels has found a new home. I found Julio's handyman business card and I have plans to call him to see if he wants them; I hope he remembers me since it's been over 10 years since he got the last BR rooster from me. If those two nutty boys from Pen #3 act like they're doing now, they will most definitely end up in someone's stew pot, maybe even mine. The bigger one is not as scared of me as he was previously and will eat out of my hand (he pecks hard), even let me scratch his chest when he was standing on top of the nest box yesterday, but you can tell he's petrified for some reason.I think they got left out of the IQ lottery, but they're chunky boys with okay combs so maybe they'll find a place to call home. Maybe. Thankfully, none have been aggressive.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Some cockerel earn a trip to the stew pot. Those I don't feel as much guilt either. I think a lot of people got chickens this year, so not as many homes available. Getting them out of there will take some stress off you and your birds Cynthia.

I'm going to have to start pulling cockerels soon too. So far everyone is behaving, but I know it can't last. Would be nice if it did. I don't know the number, I think it's over 10. I've had a leg injury all summer, so they can outrun me, and hide when I'm trying to count. I think they know.

 

[speckledhen]

Some cockerel earn a trip to the stew pot. Those I don't feel as much guilt either. I think a lot of people got chickens this year, so not as many homes available. Getting them out of there will take some stress off you and your birds Cynthia.

I'm going to have to start pulling cockerels soon too. So far everyone is behaving, but I know it can't last. Would be nice if it did. I don't know the number, I think it's over 10. I've had a leg injury all summer, so they can outrun me, and hide when I'm trying to count. I think they know.

Sorry about your injury, Lisa. My husband said he can put down all of them (i was shocked because that is not like him), but I don't really want that, not all of them. Maybe the two that are causing all the trouble have earned it because I can see someone losing patience with them very quickly. Those two make getting them back inside the barn very difficult, mostly because they're petrified of The Bouncer and one of my keepers, I think it's Duncan they are scared of in that group.
If those two scaredy cats are gone, that would leave both the guys from the purple group that are on the sale block. Angus came from the same pen and I'm hoping to keep him. I really like the three I chose to keep, though in the end, I may have to let either Duncan or Angus go and that would be a very hard choice. Naturally, Duncan is related to the pullets just like Nathaniel is, but he and Angus are so close in looks and size, it's not that easy to tell them apart sometimes.
I do need to get down to business and just settle in with my keepers for the long haul, get those EE hens incorporated with the pullets. I hate this part, trying to get the extras gone. I need to contact Julio and tell him I have four half grown roosters for him if he wants them. If he doesn't, back to square one.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I always figured they had a good life for the time they are here. Much better than all the day old cockerels no one orders, and don't live past the first day. It is one part of chicken keeping I don't like, but I gotta think of the girls first, and the health of the flock.

Hope your friend can take them off your hands. Give the ones you can the room, and the rest , well, gotta do what we gotta do. I've tried bachelor pens, and they never worked out long term. Those boys end up fighting and mating each other. It isn't a happy life. I have kept good cockerel penned for a few months in pairs, and that does seem to work out as long as there is room, and they are compatible.