This is my first year with Wyandottes. I also have several generations of Orpingtons (some breeder English and some hatchery buffs), and some Barnevelders. Each new batch is either hand-raised in my house and integrated at 5 weeks old, or raised by a broody with the flock. I'm noticing a clear difference between the Wyandottes and all the others... With all the others, the chickens within a peer group are very well bonded with each other and get along great, forming micro-flocks within the flock. There might be some minor squabbles, but on the whole, they get along with their peers better than with the older or younger chickens. All except for the Wyandottes... There are 4 of them and they were hand raised in my house, and got along fine as chicks, but as they got older, I noticed more and more internal tension within the group. They are 6 months old now and peck at each other for no good reason. Alliances shift often and I just can't tell who's friends with whom. I haven't seen this much internal drama in my other peer groups at all! So I'm assuming it's a breed thing? Another thing that stands out about them is that they integrated themselves with the flock much better than the others. I also have a small batch of hatchery buff Orps that are the same age and were raised by a broody with the flock, so they've been "integrated" since the start, yet the house-raised Wyandottes are accepted much better by the flock (the buffs are too timid and invite bullying).
That was the background context. Now, my real question. I want to keep 2 of the 4 Wyandottes. Since these will be pet chickens, my preference would be for the 2 that I like best - the 2 most human-friendly - rather than the 2 that get along best. But my 2 favorites aren't friends
Lately one has been acting a bit jerky with the other, though that's a new development. Nothing major, no blood and no plucked feathers, just being a butthole. How much should I care about that when picking who stays and who goes? Flock cohesion is important, but being docile with humans is more important, to me. Will they grow out of this phase? The other 2 Wyandottes, as well as the buffs, will go to the freezer soon, so at the end it will be the 2 friendly Wyandottes and the older hens. Maybe they'll re-bond once they find themselves the only ones left from their peer group, in a flock of grumpy aunties?
Picture: my most favorite from the Wyandottes, in my lap here, went from the very top to the very bottom of the peer group for reasons completely lost on me (she's the largest and most outgoing, so that development baffles me completely). I don't want her to feel excluded or stressed, but I really want to keep her... Will her sister (the gold laced in this photo) come around when it's just the two of them vs. the older hens?
That was the background context. Now, my real question. I want to keep 2 of the 4 Wyandottes. Since these will be pet chickens, my preference would be for the 2 that I like best - the 2 most human-friendly - rather than the 2 that get along best. But my 2 favorites aren't friends
Lately one has been acting a bit jerky with the other, though that's a new development. Nothing major, no blood and no plucked feathers, just being a butthole. How much should I care about that when picking who stays and who goes? Flock cohesion is important, but being docile with humans is more important, to me. Will they grow out of this phase? The other 2 Wyandottes, as well as the buffs, will go to the freezer soon, so at the end it will be the 2 friendly Wyandottes and the older hens. Maybe they'll re-bond once they find themselves the only ones left from their peer group, in a flock of grumpy aunties?Picture: my most favorite from the Wyandottes, in my lap here, went from the very top to the very bottom of the peer group for reasons completely lost on me (she's the largest and most outgoing, so that development baffles me completely). I don't want her to feel excluded or stressed, but I really want to keep her... Will her sister (the gold laced in this photo) come around when it's just the two of them vs. the older hens?
