i have 26 buff orpington chicks, all 10 weeks old. 13 males, 13 females. we're keeping all the females and a roo or two for our laying flock; the rest of the boys go in the freezer by august.
how long can i keep housing them together? we just moved all 26 into their new, larger hoop house/chicken tractor today. they are loving it. but i keep noticing how much trouble those boys are; they rough house, pick on each other and the girls, jump on each other, etc.
can i just keep them all together until the boys go to freezer camp, or will the boys keep harassing the girls like crazy? i want the girls and whatever lucky roo i choose to have time to develop their own flock identity/pecking order, too. i just don't want to move the boys unless i have to, because the other, smaller chicken tractor requires someone to refill the feed and water twice a day (due to size).
how long can i keep housing them together? we just moved all 26 into their new, larger hoop house/chicken tractor today. they are loving it. but i keep noticing how much trouble those boys are; they rough house, pick on each other and the girls, jump on each other, etc.
can i just keep them all together until the boys go to freezer camp, or will the boys keep harassing the girls like crazy? i want the girls and whatever lucky roo i choose to have time to develop their own flock identity/pecking order, too. i just don't want to move the boys unless i have to, because the other, smaller chicken tractor requires someone to refill the feed and water twice a day (due to size).
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