Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[MrsNorthie]

Things certainly happen fast on chicken time. What a day. I knew it would come, but was hoping for a little more time to get prepared. But at just 11 weeks old, little Tobias and Segundo decided to try to kill each other for real.

The reason appears to be pretty little Prima -- the only pullet out of the 4 chicks that hatched between April 30 and May 7 from two broody hens. Prima looks exactly the same to me as she did yesterday and the day before, but something must have flipped from "neuter chick" to "cute girl" because not only did Toby and Segundo fight like demons, Prima was viciously attacked and driven from the main coop this evening by Frida (the very shy 6 mo old pullet who, until now, was at the bottom of the order.)

Here's how the action unfolded: This morning I installed the roost bars in the new coop area (formerly our laundry area) behind our outdoor shower. Since this area already has a bamboo frame and is covered with a big roof (the most important thing in a rainforest), I was able to get it ready for chickens in a much shorter time than building a whole new structure.

"Hey, check out this place!"
View attachment 3579340

But who will get the girl?

View attachment 3579342
The dashing Segundo...

View attachment 3579343
View attachment 3579345
Or tidbiting Tobias?

The (formerly) three amigos went right for the new roost after breakfast and seemed to be having a grand time cavorting. Then I saw something new: Toby jumped down and started to tidbit and call Prima. Prima went to investigate Toby's offering. Segundo jumped down and went straight to challenge Toby. They had play-skirmished a bit as little chicks but this was for real. I watched them tussle a bit thinking we'll, this is gonna happen -- and neither one of these fellas is gamecock material, it was like watching drunks fight. I broke it up when Toby took a piece out of Segundo's comb. I separated them to opposite sides of the common ranging area (60 meters of so apart) and tended Segundo's wound. Toby had some bruises and nicks, but was ok. Segundo was breathing heavily and had obviously come off worse, so I put him in the hospital pen with some electrolyte water.

Right before I served them lunch, I let Segundo out of the pen. He seemed better and calmly went about nibbling grass so I went to prep their food. Well, in those few minutes this little instigator made a beeline for Toby looking for a rematch. I heard the screeching and by the time I found them in the forest, they were staggering after each other like Rocky and Apollo after twelve rounds. Segundo was clearly losing (again) and while I really try not to meddle in their affairs, watching one eleven week old cockerel kill another one isn't really on my personal highlight reel. So I scooped up a very woozy Segundo and took him back to the hospital, cleaned his wounds and dabbed on antibiotic cream, went back and found Toby to take care of his wounds, and then fed everyone in separate areas -- Toby and Prima by the forest, the adults in their usual spot, and Segundo in his hospital bed. He was pretty punch drunk after the second fight, but he recovered to eat a good amount. Today's Sardine Sunday.

The outcome. Toby took some knocks too, but Segundo took more
View attachment 3579344
"I coulda been a contender, I tell ya!"

So, yowza, these two scrappers have known nothing but care and camaraderie since they hatched together. They preened each other and were best buds. Now, in one day, bam.

Segundo was feeling better by the afternoon, so I put him in the big mobile enclosure I use for brand new chicks so he could eat grass and kept him near me while I worked tying netting around the new coop. It was starting to turn dusk and drizzle, and just as I was wondering if I should actually install anyone in the new coop or just wait and see, I heard another big screeching ruckus from over by the original coop. When I got there, Frida was attacking Prima and Toby and driving her off the "preferred" roost bar. She was pecking Toby more like an annoyance, but she was going after Prima with hate in her eyes. She and Toby jumped to the extension roost and cowered there in the drizzle. That seemed to be a sign. So I plucked those two up and carried them over to the new coop where they settled right in. I let Segundo out of the enclosure and (with relief) watched him walk over to the main coop. Interestingly, when I went to make sure everyone was roosting as it got dark, Segundo was next to Frida and she wasn't hassling him at all.

Which also makes me think that somehow Prima was the object of all the attention today.

I'm going to talk to our new neighbors from the States about taking in Segundo (and a couple pullets for him). They expressed interest in keeping chickens and they're just a few hundred meters up the road so I could help them get set up with housing and feed and start a whole new colony.

I'm just thinking, even if he did settle down to "low man on the totem pole" here, I'd rather give him a better life with a tribe of his own while I can.

So, yeah. Chicken life comes at ya fast.

I have such a hard time when they start squabbling over pecking order and attempted mating. It is so rough. Luckily, we have been fairly quiet, lately, only the occasional 3 on one mating attempt, but in the last day or so, the cockerels seem to be trying to renegotiate their roles, a little, but not bad at the moment, but keeping a close eye. I can't stand it when one of them is hurt.

 

[MrsNorthie]

The peewee babies and the mini's seem to be settling in really well. they still stay mostly separate, except when eating and sleeping, once I convince the peewees to go into the coop.

It seems that Goldie challenging Blue to be the leader, but it could also be the heat. It does have Blue more amenable to taking food from my hand. Spud seems to be sticking closer to Blue, but not getting involved in the rough stuff.

Spud is still the friendliest boy and likes attention from anyone who will give it and also the most immature. We had a bit of a funny moment, I was crouched down filling the bowls with the evening mash and not paying attention to him, and he walked up from behind and poked me on my hip, not a nip, not even a hard peck, just tap to say..hey, I want attention. Goldie didn't like that so chased him off and stood guard while I finished feeding. He has always been the quiet one, and biggest defender of the girls when there is any rough stuff, so I am definitely going to be keeping a close eye on them.

I am still treating Blue first and letting him call the girls in and it is going to be another 7-8 weeks before the peewees and the minis are ready to be fully integrated in with the main tribe. I was wondering if I shouldn't try to put Spud and/or Goldie in with them for a few hours a day, under close supervision, or just wait until they are all integrated and let them break off into their own tribes. Spud spends most of his time by the wire observing the little ones, Goldie alternates between watching them and trying to steal ladies from Blue.

 

[TropicalChickies]

Wow! I think I had every emoji reaction in reading about Frida, Prima, Toby, and Segundo's eventful day. Good thing it was Sardine Sunday to hopefully end on an up note for all of your key players. Prima sounds like a genuine prima donna in the making!

Yeah, the three of them are looking a bit stunned this morning. They've been an inseperable trio of friends since hatching, and now the little fellas are deadly rivals. Prima doesn't seem to realize the fuss is about her. Yesterday, she went with Toby after the fighting, I think because he was offering treats and attentive to her, where Segundo was all about challenging Toby.

Prima, Toby and Segundo are only 11 weeks old, so I'm not really sure what is going on or why they started to fight now. I understand they all skirmish, but this looked like it could have ended up with one dead.

The hard fact is that somehow I ended up with 5 cockerels from 6 chicks since November. One died (Paco), so now there's 4. One big senior (Lucio) and three 11 week olds. The other cockerel, Han Solo, hatched from another hen and isn't in the feuding group. What's happening with that cockerel is a whole other story. He looks just like Lucio and follows him everywhere. I'm thinking he might even be Lucio's son. He could find a place as Lucio's junior, but who knows.

I'm not sure -- maybe someone with more experience can help -- but it seems I just don't have enough pullets for them to choose their roosters and form separate tribes right now. I understand a rooster only really needs 1 minimum and 4 max (ideally) for a tribe, but I don't even have that. There's only 6 females total, and 4 are already Lucio's.

I don't want to bring in more pullets from outside to this farm. The whole "integration" thing is a wild card, and things are wild enough. I'd rather let this group sort itself out and wait until I get a broody to hatch eggs here.

But I could move Segundo up the road to our new neighbors and bring in some pullets for him up there. There's no chickens up there, it would be a new territory. Segundo would go through separation anxiety I guess, but would have a chance to have his own mates and tribe. And I could still see him every day and help with the set up there.

I'm not one of these people who thinks of cockerels as an "annoyance" or a thing to get rid of. They are such lively and spirited animals and having a maturing young rooster has sold me on roosters forever. It's not as simple as just keeping hens, but having the cockerels feels like an experience a bit closer to nature. Of course, if nature was the only factor here, little Segundo would be vulture food right now. But if I can help to facilitate a multi-tribe scenario and let these cockerels fulfill their mission to become roosters, I'd like to do that.

Thoughts? I'd really appreciate some guidance from the big Roosterist and other rooster advocates here.

Thank you all.

 

[TropicalChickies]

I have such a hard time when they start squabbling over pecking order and attempted mating. It is so rough. Luckily, we have been fairly quiet, lately, only the occasional 3 on one mating attempt, but in the last day or so, the cockerels seem to be trying to renegotiate their roles, a little, but not bad at the moment, but keeping a close eye. I can't stand it when one of them is hurt.

Thank you for commiserating. I really appreciate it. I just posted an update if you have any other advice.

 

[TropicalChickies]

Some of the plot holders are complaining about the level of pests they have on their plots. I have very few. I think it's because the chickens go on my plot daily.

Chickens are wonderful at keeping the predator to prey balance in check in the garden. Most pesky nibbling insects are prey insects for birds and other insects. Wasps, tachnid flies, beetles and spiders also play a crucial role in keeping nibbling bugs in check -- unfortunately these are the insects people usually are are afraid of or don't like.

All birds -- and bats -- are really important in this regard. We had a terrible problem with defoliating swarms of grasshoppers when we first planted saplings on this land. But eventually enough native pioneers like palms took hold that gave the birds that eat grasshoppers somewhere to perch. Now the grasshoppers are still around, but in the right numbers for the ecosystem.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Ex Batts good morning one and all!

The chickens look great.

Temperature is in the 80s.

Have a great day!

 

[LTAY1946]

It's hot here and beginning to get dry again. The new boys have joined in ok. no serious fighting at all now. The one new boy that show his muscles simmered down when he realized he was so out numbered. He stays rather close to headquarters. He may still be sizing up the others and waiting to pick a battle he can win. Time will tell.

 

[Shadrach]

Yeah, the three of them are looking a bit stunned this morning. They've been an inseperable trio of friends since hatching, and now the little fellas are deadly rivals. Prima doesn't seem to realize the fuss is about her. Yesterday, she went with Toby after the fighting, I think because he was offering treats and attentive to her, where Segundo was all about challenging Toby.

Prima, Toby and Segundo are only 11 weeks old, so I'm not really sure what is going on or why they started to fight now. I understand they all skirmish, but this looked like it could have ended up with one dead.

The hard fact is that somehow I ended up with 5 cockerels from 6 chicks since November. One died (Paco), so now there's 4. One big senior (Lucio) and three 11 week olds. The other cockerel, Han Solo, hatched from another hen and isn't in the feuding group. What's happening with that cockerel is a whole other story. He looks just like Lucio and follows him everywhere. I'm thinking he might even be Lucio's son. He could find a place as Lucio's junior, but who knows.

I'm not sure -- maybe someone with more experience can help -- but it seems I just don't have enough pullets for them to choose their roosters and form separate tribes right now. I understand a rooster only really needs 1 minimum and 4 max (ideally) for a tribe, but I don't even have that. There's only 6 females total, and 4 are already Lucio's.

I don't want to bring in more pullets from outside to this farm. The whole "integration" thing is a wild card, and things are wild enough. I'd rather let this group sort itself out and wait until I get a broody to hatch eggs here.

But I could move Segundo up the road to our new neighbors and bring in some pullets for him up there. There's no chickens up there, it would be a new territory. Segundo would go through separation anxiety I guess, but would have a chance to have his own mates and tribe. And I could still see him every day and help with the set up there.

I'm not one of these people who thinks of cockerels as an "annoyance" or a thing to get rid of. They are such lively and spirited animals and having a maturing young rooster has sold me on roosters forever. It's not as simple as just keeping hens, but having the cockerels feels like an experience a bit closer to nature. Of course, if nature was the only factor here, little Segundo would be vulture food right now. But if I can help to facilitate a multi-tribe scenario and let these cockerels fulfill their mission to become roosters, I'd like to do that.

Thoughts? I'd really appreciate some guidance from the big Roosterist and other rooster advocates here.

Thank you all.

View attachment 3579542

Move Segundo. He might manage to attract a hen given long enough but providing him with a group away from the rest is what I would do if possible.

 

[TropicalChickies]

Move Segundo. He might manage to attract a hen given long enough but providing him with a group away from the rest is what I would do if possible.

Thank you. That is my instinct. Although today there was a bit of a switch. Toby spent most of the day by himself or hanging out with big Solo. Prima spent part of the day with Segundo, part of the day with Toby. When the three of them were in close proximity, the boys pretended to ignore each other.

There was no fighting at all today.

I guess yesterday hurt both badly enough to keep them at peace today.

Given that Prima is so far away from point of lay, I don't think she can actually choose her suitor yet, can she?

I did observe something really fascinating:
At one point this afternoon, Toby was with Solo and the older hens. Segundo was trying to canoodle with Prima, just sitting close to her. Lucio comes over to them, strips some seed away from some grass, and offers it to Prima. But not like Lucio was hitting on her, more like he was showing Segundo, "Look you dummy, this is how you win a girl." Then he casually strolled off, leaving Segundo with this amazed look on his face. I could see the light bulb over his wounded little head.

I still think Toby is going to win Prima, but we shall see. Whomever is the odder man out by the time I can get housing set up and pullets here up the road will be moved.

 

[Shadrach]

Mainly dry and sunny after a rainy morning.
Three hours today. Turned the compost heap with some help from the chickens.
Got yet another barrow load of stones out of the run.
Fed the geese again. Getting pissed off with this.

Going to see about getting some starter plants for chard anything else I may be able to grow over the winter. I very much doubt the tomatoes will fruit properly this year if the weather people are right in predicting six weeks of unsettled weather; that means rain in the UK.

Here they are at the back of the coop run by the feed bins. They ventured as far as the greenhouses and headed back casting hopefull glances at the feed bin. It didn't open. I'm trying to get their system settled down a bit after the berry picking of the last few weeks.
Mixed seeds and mash for supper.