What did you do with your flock today?

[Smokerbill]

Those are cute and clever!

Those look great!

Those are nice boxes!! Good idea!

Thank you one and all! I like that they're up high enough that they won't get filled with poop and bedding. I had grit in a bowl at floor level before and it was alway contaminated with stuff.

 

[Smokerbill]

I let my chickens out to explore and eat weeds and bugs for an hour and a half tonight. Seems to work well letting them out in the evening, knowing that they'll go back to the run around 9:30.

They sure love doing the flap/running thing. Pretty funny!

I still haven't seen either of the cockerels mount a pullet yet. One or two of the pullets squat for them, but I don't think the cockerels know what to do yet. LOL

 

[ChicksnMore]

I let my chickens out to explore and eat weeds and bugs for an hour and a half tonight. Seems to work well letting them out in the evening, knowing that they'll go back to the run around 9:30.

They sure love doing the flap/running thing. Pretty funny!

I still haven't seen either of the cockerels mount a pullet yet. One or two of the pullets squat for them, but I don't think the cockerels know what to do yet. LOL

I have a little roo that's just figured out what he's for and he's gone crazy trying to catch and pin every hen he sees. Bet the hens can't wait for the older roos to teach him some manners! My one hen Spankers tried and all this roo noticed was that a hen was near...his hopes went sky high
Hopefully your boys will be gentlemen and court the ladies a little!

 

[Smokerbill]

I have a little roo that's just figured out what he's for and he's gone crazy trying to catch and pin every hen he sees. Bet the hens can't wait for the older roos to teach him some manners! My one hen Spankers tried and all this roo noticed was that a hen was near...his hopes went sky high
Hopefully your boys will be gentlemen and court the ladies a little!

I hope so too!

 

[gtaus]

Then I built a pair of dispensers, one for grit and the other for oyster shells. @gtaus would be proud!

Very nice @Smokerbill. Good use of some scrape wood. Love it.

At first I tried them wide open, but it made it too easy for the birds to sling the chunks out. I wired a stack of 2x4s over the top to make access a little more difficult. Plus they will keep the birds from being able to try to roost on the boxes.

First time they tried oyster shells, and they were eating them like candy. I'm sure they'll calm down once the newness wears off, and start eating just what they need.

FWIW, I made my grit and calcium feeders a number of years ago out of PVC pipes and elbows. The chickens can stick their head in, but they can't really sling much of anything out. I suspect that after a short while, the chickens will settle down and you probably won't need those 2X4's on top anymore. Or, just put a small board on each feeder to limit how much of their head they can stick in there.

I only have to refill my PVC grit and calcium feeders about once every 3 months. It's always there if they need it, but for the most part they get calcium in their commercial feed and grit out in the chicken run scratching and pecking.

 

[Shetland lover]

I have a little roo that's just figured out what he's for and he's gone crazy trying to catch and pin every hen he sees. Bet the hens can't wait for the older roos to teach him some manners! My one hen Spankers tried and all this roo noticed was that a hen was near...his hopes went sky high
Hopefully your boys will be gentlemen and court the ladies a little!

I wish Gladys had done her usual job and taught Stanley some manners! He tried to mount a wood pigeon we had in the garden yesterday...he's 10 months old now and just a bag of hormones Ferdy is just too laid back 99% of the time to discipline him.

 

[Nomadicus]

I've got a little barred roo that is of a March hatch and he has it down pat. I caught him on a RIR that could have been his mom! His dad came flying up but to late!

 

[ChicksnMore]

I wish Gladys had done her usual job and taught Stanley some manners! He tried to mount a wood pigeon we had in the garden yesterday...he's 10 months old now and just a bag of hormones Ferdy is just too laid back 99% of the time to discipline him.

I keep waiting for the older roos to set him straight. He's upsetting the hens and usually that's a nono that the old roos won't tolerate. I think because he's extra small for his breed and newly hormonal? At any rate, Spankers the only one I've seen even try to slow him down! My old boys go alert but aren't driving him off from his antics. Poor ladies!

 

[Nomadicus]

I watched a repeat of a French and English war this morning. A younger Bresse rooster wandered down into Cornish territory and challenged a 20lb Cornish Cross Rooster. It didn't take long until that young Frenchman was bloodied up some and I know it had to hurt when the Englishman jumped up and landed squarely on top of the short Frenchman. After the battle was over the Frenchman started to walk away only to encounter another Knight of the Round Table to get beat up some more. Hormones do get in the way of good sense.

 

[TropicalBabies]

I don't tolerate that, or did not when I had multi boys growing up. Had to figure that one out quick. Unless boy is there with a purpose I thought it hard to make the flock sort it out long term. Girls usually make their choice quick and i usually agree with their good taste. The end. Separate the rest and enjoy peace if you can ♡

Up here with the existing ferals, I have to keep an eye on when free ranging. Spider and Beetle have had a few tufts with the local boys, but I try catch as soon as I see or hear. It is hard on all and I don't want any injury let alone a serious one.

I have seen too many cockerels beat to a bloody pulp or death as some roosters would like it to, not take it seriously. I would be devastated.

We used to have lots of cock fighting around here due to cultural introductions. We still have plenty enough. Serious business