Yep, like any good gardener, it is time to mix things up a bit, turn the apple-cart upside down.. and make a mockery of the current pecking order and peaceful egixstance that occurs in my chicken coop!
How do I do this? I figure (am really hating the word "assume" right now) now is a good time as egg production has been down, while it is starting to pick up and I do hate to mess that part up.. I also did not want to mess up the sleeping/keep warm pattern.
I want to split the girls.. ie, the marans in one coop, the americaunas in another, all others in another and a coorsponding roo.. who will be a stranger to them. The only roo they have ever know is Nemo, I removed him about a month ago.. He was about to kill them all, and with the cold weather and they all in tight quarters.. well it wasn't good.. Note:There are plenty of girls per each group.. Nemo is just a pig.
So now with spring.. new buildings going up.. Do I just do it... Move them.. feed them.. throw everyone in together and hope for the best? Or should I Move each batch of girls, give them a day or two and slip the roo in the middle of the night?
Rearranging Your Flock
The move will stress them a little, but my thought is to put the roo in with the right at the beginning. That way all the stress happens at the same time and then they will get over it quicker. Just my thoughts. I usually leave mine cooped for a week or two so that they learn where their new home is and know where to come in for the night.
Sheila
I agree with Sheila with the putting him in right away
I generally change up roos if i want a different bloodline if it's not an aggressive roo their shouldn't be a problem.
Sometimes the hens will attack the roo but things calm down once he puts them in their place.
I have more of a problem switching hens i have to take them and put them side by side in cages to let them get used to eachother if i just put them together it's a blood bath.
Hi there Frans: I agree with you also by putting the roo in at the same time as you change up their respective living quarters. Also if you leave them cooped up for a week that should be sufficient for them to get used of their new quarters. I have done similiar moves and have found that the stress is not that great. I spend a little more time with them during these moves so as to assure them everything is alright. I don't know if you have noticed but mine are used to me being around quite a bit and it seems to settle them down somewhat. Go for it girl and good luck to you and your birds. Haystack
I do spend an oddly amount of time with all my guys outside.. they actually listen.. or I tell myself they do.. and hey, they haven't said any differently, so...
A few extral kernnels of the treat of the day and the girls will drool all over themselves... I think.. I just hate messing with everyone at once.. but in order to get everyone where they need to be, I have to.. I need all the coops to have the right families in them.. and it's close to spring so I need some fertile eggs.. well I say need.. more like I want.. and I would like to have a few true bred chicks.....
well as true as one can be via a large hatchery. But I have been very happy so far.
My goals for this summer are:
A LOT more dark brown eggs: more marans, added 15 girls so now have 19 and 2 roos, will cull the weak roo down the road.
I have a lot of requests for ameracauna chicks.. so I have 4 hens and no roos, now I have 9 hens and 3 roos.. again, will cut the weak roo in a few weeks.
I have way too may silkies, and have pretty much decided, they are a pretty bird, I DO admire them, but I don't think they are for me.. I am not sure where to go from here with them as they are consistant layers, and up til now we have used their eggs.. I think I would just like to find them homes.
I want to order more Chancelers, they are the most stable dependable layer in the world, seems nothing upsets them, and the cold and wind surely doesn't get them down. I need more!
Chancelers, and buckeyes are without doubt two of hardiest birds around, as well as good egg layers.
I haven't looked at buckeyes Hay.. tell me more?
Fran i agree about the silkies they are pretty chickens and great layers but i had a hard time keeping mine clean. Those pretty fluffy feathers just seemed like magnets and anything that would get caught in them did LOL.
Fran: The Buckeyes, as their name indicates were first introduced by a woman breeder from Ohio. They lay a very large egg, tend to be very friendly, and are considered one of the top leaders in chickendom when it comes to hardiness. Not all hatcheries handle them. I can tell you I have never known anyone who owns them that does not love them. Talk to some of those who have raised them besides myself and see what they have to say about them. I had a flock of them about four years ago. Sometimes they are hard to find, and I wanted to raise the marans and red stars so I switched. I have thought to get another small flock of about eight again this summer. Haystack
Frans: I just checked with some hatcheries, Meyer has them, @$2.70 ea for pullets. And also I forgot to tell you they are brown layers. Check em out. Hay