Can anyone tell me why my bantam White Crested Black Polish rooster and my Delaware hen are fighting after getting along fine for two years? This makes no sense at all….. They have plenty of food and water. They free range all day. There are 3 hens total. Life is good.
WHY are my rooster and hen fighting???
I don't know why....but birds are very emotional and rank conscious. Something may have happened that offended one and they just aren't going to let it go. My Delaware pullet was very alpha and made sure all the other pullets respected that. She was okay with the lesser ranking birds--but she was murder on the second ranking Orpington. And my older hens were really nasty to the younger roos--not about to put up with them and actually chasing and attacking them at sight.
Chickens are complicated.
Oh brother!! ....Well, I think the roo has poked her left eye out. It's kind of looks like it has clotted, and she is very subdued and hiding her head in a corner. ...I don't know what to do for her. It's not bleeding. She just can't see with it.
Oh Dear! I hope they are separated now!
No they're not separated. I checked on them this morning. My hen was sitting up on the roost and all was fine. I think she has accepted her place in the pecking order. ....We'll see if her eye heals or if it's gone for good. :(
Wow - I have so much to learn about chickens. My babies are due to arrive the first week of June. I have 6 coming. Hopefully no roosters! I thought they were just birds. Sounds like they're pretty complicated creatures.
Welcome to the Poultry forum Roserairie! You are right.. it can get very complicated... I think I did better when I just had chickens.. so much less stress! All in all.. it is worth it.. every penny and every gray hair.. :)
Thanks - I'm going to love them. I am a little worries about garden plants so they may be restricted to one area until I learn more. I don't know if they eat plants or do they just pull them out for fun. Read a post on another website about toxic plants for chickens and I have many of them.
They do basically destroy your garden if you don't contain them. I speak from experience:0)
Oh my dear lawd.....I may not survive owning chickens....
My mom has an extensive garden & so far we've got 23 bantams out running free & no hard done to any plants. They don't dig, they don't kick out mulch, they don't eat plants or flowers. Only danger was the the peony's when the chicks found the ants living on them. but i quickly convinced them they were better off not to eat those particular ants unless they wanted to end up in mom's freezer. My standard laying hens I choose breeds that weren't suppose to dig much so we will see what happens. So far I am much happier with the survival of the flowers than I was when I had Rhode Island Reds.. they ruined every green plant within eyesight. So far my theory that I can have chickens & a garden is working.
That is so cool.. I have some bantams that run loose and they don't do much damage either.. I planted a grass area for them and the grass is only an inch tall.. they haven't hurt it at all.. I don't let them in the veggie area right now.. My blackberries are just starting to form.. I'd have a full freezer too if they destroy those!
Hi there Jenks! One of the ways to help protect your garden is to find out what chickens really like in the area of greens, and plant some and that will attract them and leave your plants alone. It does help, I have a large garden and really suffer no considerable damage when the flock arrives. But I plant some stuff just for them. Don't worry yourself to much Jenks, you'll find the solutions. We all do. Hay
I was worried about the hen's eye! LOL My garden is a concern, but I will survive that - an eye pecked out.....well, I do have a one eyed horse, I guess I can handle it.....phew. I guess what scares me is the lack of vet care for chickens. I will be coming here for it all.