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February 04, 2012, 04:34:58 PM
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Author Topic: chickens don't like new arrivals  (Read 1366 times)
Free Woman
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Posts: 90
« on: June 02, 2010, 08:20:52 AM »
We have 11 hens that have been laying great for us.  Last week, we agreed to care for 2 rooster of some friends that live in town.  They didn't want them annoying the neighbors so we agreed to care for them until they can be butchered.  They are 8 weeks old.  We have them in a dog cage in the same building as the hens.  We have tried to let them out but they fight with each other.  And our egg production has gone from 10-11 per day to no eggs (today).    Is there anything we can go to get them to get along?  We would like to let the roosters to be able to free range like the others.  Or will we have to separate them and keep them caged until they can be butchered?
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MrsHope
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Posts: 218
« Reply #1 on: June 02, 2010, 09:44:14 AM »
When you say "they fight with each other", do you mean the roosters fight with each other, or with the hens? We had 2 roosters last year and had to get rid of one because they were fighting until they bled and one was probably going to either be killed or severely injured. You will most likely just have to keep them separated until they are butchered if that's the case.

How long were the roosters together with the hens? Whenever we introduce new chickens, I give them awhile to establish the pecking order. I don't separate them unless one is really getting injured. For instance, this spring we introduced 2 bantams to our flock of 12 standard size chickens and they were getting picked on, so I put them in the coop behind a wire barrier until the others got used to them. They are just too small to be picked on like that. Now they are just a part of the flock and don't get picked on. Otherwise, it takes a little while to figure out "who's boss" and then they seem to be fine. As for the laying hens, sometimes stress will cause them to stop laying but it's just temporary. I'm sure they will start again in a day or two.

On an interesting note...right now we have 1 rooster, but since the dominant chicken is a hen (she is the oldest and has been around here the longest), the rooster doesn't crow. He started to at around 2 months old, then he tried to take the highest perch in the coop to roost, and Emily (the dominant hen) chased him off of the roost and he has never crowed since. It's an ideal situation because we get to have a rooster, but without the noise.  Grin
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sweetestday
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Posts: 468
« Reply #2 on: June 03, 2010, 12:40:42 PM »
When we've added new birds to the flock, we do it at night when it's roosting time. The next day they can meet, fight it out, or whatever. We had one rooster for two years, but I wanted to add another for new blood lines and because we have 20 hens. That's a lot of hens for one rooster.  So, the new rooster got beat up for a couple weeks, and was pretty bloody, but now he is doing fine, and is content with being the underdog. He gets plenty of chances to breed, because there's no way rooster #1 can protect all those hens.
I will say that young roosters do like to spar a lot. Typically they don't hurt each other very badly. They just like to jump at each other and look tough. It was never as bad as what these two full grown guys went through this spring.
If it were me, I'd just put those guys out free with the hens, and let them work it out. If you don't want breeding going on and chicks being hatched, you'll have to separate them, though. And young roosters do make a mess of hens sometimes when they breed. Lots of feathers can get plucked off their heads and backs.
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Free Woman
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Posts: 90
« Reply #3 on: June 04, 2010, 06:09:01 AM »
Quote from: MrsHope on June 02, 2010, 09:44:14 AM
When you say "they fight with each other", do you mean the roosters fight with each other, or with the hens?
How long were the roosters together with the hens?

The roosters do not fight with each other since they were raised together but the roosters fight with the hens. 
Quote
They have been together for a week now.  The egg production seems to coming back.  I guess we will just wait, they are in a separate cage right now and each day we try letting them out to let them get used to each other.  The roosters are only 8 weeks old.  The funny thing is, even though they are the same age (9 weeks), one rooster is quite small and fiesty and the other is big and fat and lazy!  I was surprised to see such a difference between them.
« Last Edit: June 04, 2010, 06:17:29 AM by Free Woman » Logged
Free Woman
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Posts: 90
« Reply #4 on: June 04, 2010, 06:16:43 AM »
Quote from: sweetestday on June 03, 2010, 12:40:42 PM
When we've added new birds to the flock, we do it at night when it's roosting time. The next day they can meet, fight it out, or whatever. We had one rooster for two years, but I wanted to add another for new blood lines and because we have 20 hens. That's a lot of hens for one rooster.  So, the new rooster got beat up for a couple weeks, and was pretty bloody, but now he is doing fine, and is content with being the underdog. He gets plenty of chances to breed, because there's no way rooster #1 can protect all those hens.
I will say that young roosters do like to spar a lot. Typically they don't hurt each other very badly. They just like to jump at each other and look tough. It was never as bad as what these two full grown guys went through this spring.
If it were me, I'd just put those guys out free with the hens, and let them work it out. If you don't want breeding going on and chicks being hatched, you'll have to separate them, though. And young roosters do make a mess of hens sometimes when they breed. Lots of feathers can get plucked off their heads and backs.
We don't want breeding going on we are only keeping them until they can be butchered but we would like them to be able to free range.  Will the rooster want to breed even though they are so young and the hens dominant?  Our last rooster (he was raised with the hens) may have tried breeding but didn't seem to cause any mess with the hens (we butchered him a couple weeks ago).
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sweetestday
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Posts: 468
« Reply #5 on: June 06, 2010, 10:10:18 PM »
I don't think they'd breed this young, but usually by the time they are big enough to eat, they would be going after the hens. It shouldn't be a problem, though, unless you get a broody hen, or if the hens start getting pecked/scratched up.
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Free Woman
Adept

Posts: 90
« Reply #6 on: July 09, 2010, 08:38:23 AM »
We gave the roosters back after a few weeks because are egg production never got any better.  Now that the roosters are gone, our egg production is even worse (only 1-2 eggs per day from 11 chickens), so I'm wondering if there is another cause.  Any ideas?
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denim&lace
Master

Posts: 1721
« Reply #7 on: July 09, 2010, 12:00:09 PM »
Isn't it winter where you are?  Chickens need 8-10 hours of sunlight and a temperature of at least 45 degrees Fahrenheit to maintain egg production. 

I found this link that may help you troubleshoot:

http://www.farminfo.org/livestock/chickens.htm
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Free Woman
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Posts: 90
« Reply #8 on: July 09, 2010, 12:05:56 PM »
Quote from: denim&lace on July 09, 2010, 12:00:09 PM
Isn't it winter where you are?  Chickens need 8-10 hours of sunlight and a temperature of at least 45 degrees Fahrenheit to maintain egg production. 

I found this link that may help you troubleshoot:

http://www.farminfo.org/livestock/chickens.htm

No, we are right in the middle of summer (northern midwest).  Sun comes up by 5 and sets well after 8pm.  During this last winter, we got 9-11 per day.  I will try that site.  Thanks
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Free Woman
Adept

Posts: 90
« Reply #9 on: July 09, 2010, 12:10:40 PM »
Quote from: Free Woman on July 09, 2010, 12:05:56 PM
Quote from: denim&lace on July 09, 2010, 12:00:09 PM
Isn't it winter where you are?  Chickens need 8-10 hours of sunlight and a temperature of at least 45 degrees Fahrenheit to maintain egg production. 

I found this link that may help you troubleshoot:

http://www.farminfo.org/livestock/chickens.htm

No, we are right in the middle of summer (northern midwest).  Sun comes up by 5 and sets well after 8pm.  During this last winter, we got 9-11 per day.  I will try that site.  Thanks

I found some ideas on that sight that may apply.  I'll make a few changes and see if that works.
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denim&lace
Master

Posts: 1721
« Reply #10 on: July 09, 2010, 12:35:13 PM »
OOps!  Sorry, I mixed you up with Learning Lady in my mind. Wink  I think they are in the southern hemisphere. 
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