Old gals

[-pat m]

I have three separate sections for my chickens
1 Three Silkies as a bit of garden eye candy also they scare the hell out of marauding cats!
2 Loads of free-range chickens on a paddock
3 My three retired girls who don’t lay eggs, eat like horses but as they were from my first batch can live the life of riley on a huge rockery and a 6ft x 5ft shed until they get called to the great coop in the sky.
Problem:
I have two chickens that are not integrating well into my large flock one cockerel and a smaller bantam (both nine months old) the cockerel gets battered every day when the female Orpington’s rebukes his advances. I have tried to re-home him but without luck he is not challenging the main Orpington cockerel and goes to the other end of the paddock to have a little crow by himself. Would putting him with the retired ladies work? They are much larger than him and are very grumpy nothing bothers them - they give the Heron a run for its money in the summer when it stands next to their pond, there is plenty of room for them all and he could have his bantam friend for company. Any advice on re-homing old and young together would be much appreciated

Regards
Pat
The picture is of the three old gals tonight as I closed them up

[NSB]

Sorry dont have the answer what breed is the white one please

[Snadger]

Good on you looking after the oldies.............wish my kids were like minded!

[Glutton4...]

I suppose if it's not working as it is, it's got to be worth a try?

[shirlthegirl43]

Sounds worth a try to me, nothing much to lose is there. As to when to do it - we brought our girls home at dusk and put them straight in their new house. Will use the same method when we get more. When I was younger and lived at home our hens all lived together until they popped off or got foxed.

[MaureenHall]

Why not put him to bed with the OAP's and see how they all get along in the morning, you never know, it might put the bounce back into their bungees

[-pat m]

Put the bounce back into their bungees!! Very good I had never thought about it that way!

NSB - not really sure, the first chickens we got were all chickens that had been abandoned so no idea as to breed or age - she has delivered two lots of chicks over the last four years, she is the real boss of the OAP crew, when she had her chicks a couple of years ago I could throw a tin of sweet corn into the run and all the other chickens would pretend to look the other way until the chicks and herself had eaten.
It is really funny / sad that it was only this evening that my children saw the posting and said “Molly” (the white chicken) because we have so many now we don’t name them and it really warmed me to think of her as molly BTW the others are called Ria (brown one) and spurs (dark one).
Unfortunately I am at work for the next few days but I think I will mix it up on Friday evening and see how it goes over the weekend I will whisper to the cockerel on the way to the retirement home that this is his last chance saloon!!
Thanks for your comments
Pat

Ps shall I take the bantam friend down with him to the retirement castle?

[frias]

How old are your oldies? My niece has a 6yr old hen that still lays. she lives in a paddock with lots of hens of all ages and 2 cockerels. Your oldies might enjoy having a cockerel with them, hope they do and also his bantam friend. Otherwise you'll be having a 4th area with just the 2 of them!

[-pat m]

How old are your oldies? My niece has a 6yr old hen that still lays. she lives in a paddock with lots of hens of all ages and 2 cockerels. Your oldies might enjoy having a cockerel with them, hope they do and also his bantam friend. Otherwise you'll be having a 4th area with just the 2 of them!

Thanks frais
I am guessing six’ish – We did get a few eggs for a few months last summer.
No three areas are enough! We look like total freaks already!! This really is the last chance saloon for the cockerel!

Regards
Pat

[Nicos]

No experience of oldies here I'm afraid- but I do have 2 young cockerels who are brothers.
One is the boss but allows the other 'access' to the gals.

(Mine free range and sleep in the coop together)

We did have a dominant female- Betty -who bossed the boys around although she's the same age as them.

She puts up with their advances, but still goes off to do her own thing- although the other gals stick with the cockerels. It's the youngest cockerel who keeps an eye on her and hangs more around her- but she's in charge of what she does.

So...I'd guess the old gals will put him at the bottom of their pecking order, but will appreciate him finding worms and insects for them and calling them over- so will tolerate his presence .

Lets face it- what bunch of old women wouldn't enjoy a bit of young male company!!!

Good luck!

Have a go, introducing him as you would any other chook.

[Flummery]

They'll have a Toy Boy!