Raccoonrider
In the Brooder
- Sep 1, 2015
- 17
- 0
- 35
Okay. First of all id like to say first time caller, long time listener. This forum has been a huge help with my chicks.
To give some detail...I bought various breeds of chicks from TSC in the spring and theyve just passed the 20 week mark. I got 5 pullets 2 cockerels and 5 misc that are only about 3 weeks and am unable to tell the sex. I have a pen about 30x60 that they are SUPPOSED to stay in and a coop that they fit in comfortably. For the longest time 2 pullets and a cockerel have flew out and roamed the yard and I didnt really have a problem with it. Until the 20 week mark (when im told the pullets should be starting to lay). I would go out to feed them or check on them in the afternoon and would find only 4 in the pen and out of nowhere the other 3 would arrive. Finally I found out they were going under the neighbors shed and spending the entire day there. So I have clipped their wings since and they are confined to the pen. One of my pullets that used to be able to roam has matured much much faster than the rest. She wont even look at me and hardly leaves the coop. Other pullets will come and eat from my hand and she wants nothing to do with me, and I have my suspicions she isnt really eating at all.
She kind of appears to look like ....what is described as broody. At 21 weeks? Is this possible? I looked under the neighbors shed (as best i could) and i didnt see any eggs...but I guess I could have overlooked them. She still roosted at night in the coop. Would she leave her eggs vulnerable so far away? Am I looking too far into this?
Also one of my cockerels hates me, my kids, and any other human being. He was the cockerel that went off to roam on a daily basis until i clipped his wings. But he was a hateful little bantam before the wing clipping. I feel there is no way for me to actually gain his trust as the only time he comes near me is to attack. And I dont really care. I leave him alone and try to tend to the others. But is it possible that he could be turning the rest of them against me? Its like if they come to me to eat from my hand he will most certainly attack them afterwards. Any slowly but surely they are all becoming more stand offish. Any way to break this behavior? Besides with a filet knife....which is what its coming to.
Any tips help. Thanks!
To give some detail...I bought various breeds of chicks from TSC in the spring and theyve just passed the 20 week mark. I got 5 pullets 2 cockerels and 5 misc that are only about 3 weeks and am unable to tell the sex. I have a pen about 30x60 that they are SUPPOSED to stay in and a coop that they fit in comfortably. For the longest time 2 pullets and a cockerel have flew out and roamed the yard and I didnt really have a problem with it. Until the 20 week mark (when im told the pullets should be starting to lay). I would go out to feed them or check on them in the afternoon and would find only 4 in the pen and out of nowhere the other 3 would arrive. Finally I found out they were going under the neighbors shed and spending the entire day there. So I have clipped their wings since and they are confined to the pen. One of my pullets that used to be able to roam has matured much much faster than the rest. She wont even look at me and hardly leaves the coop. Other pullets will come and eat from my hand and she wants nothing to do with me, and I have my suspicions she isnt really eating at all.
She kind of appears to look like ....what is described as broody. At 21 weeks? Is this possible? I looked under the neighbors shed (as best i could) and i didnt see any eggs...but I guess I could have overlooked them. She still roosted at night in the coop. Would she leave her eggs vulnerable so far away? Am I looking too far into this?
Also one of my cockerels hates me, my kids, and any other human being. He was the cockerel that went off to roam on a daily basis until i clipped his wings. But he was a hateful little bantam before the wing clipping. I feel there is no way for me to actually gain his trust as the only time he comes near me is to attack. And I dont really care. I leave him alone and try to tend to the others. But is it possible that he could be turning the rest of them against me? Its like if they come to me to eat from my hand he will most certainly attack them afterwards. Any slowly but surely they are all becoming more stand offish. Any way to break this behavior? Besides with a filet knife....which is what its coming to.
Any tips help. Thanks!
