Poultry Talk Ontario (pto.ca)

I've got coop drama.

1. My BR rooster. He doesn't sleep. Can his clock be messed up? He was good from November till the middle of January maybe even till Feb., but now it's 4am or earlier and he's awake. I'm a terrible sleeper and I feel like I just get to sleep and he's crowing up a storm. Then he gets the Silkie rooster going and it's party time by 4:30. I try opening the coop door at 5 to see if he shuts the heck up but that doesn't seem to work either. Suggestions?

2. A silkie pullet. Not bossy pants. I had problems with her behaviour before for pecking and just not being nice. I spent some time giving her 'pecks' between her shoulders to give her an attitude adjustment. This last week or so she's a total mood again. She puffs up when I go near her, which if course she either gets oi kee up or a good tap between the shoulders and it puts her back in line. But go near the coop if she's in it and she will puff up put her head down and try to peck me. Is this pre-broody behaviour? If she truly does pass her character onto her chicks I don't want her to have any babies. She might make her way to the auction if she can't get her attitude under control.

3. I have a few barred rock hens who are losing feathers. It looks to be wear and tear from the rooster. Lock him up for a while or them? I really like the rooster out free ranging with them, he keeps them safe. But I'm sure losing their feathers on their backs because of over use is not comfy. Apparently they have the sexy factor others don't. Suggestions?

Update: Bossy boots has had an attitude adjustment. I put peepers on her (thanks KB) and although she had a melt down in the beginning she adjusted quickly. So I took them off yesterday and she seems to be leaving him alone for now and I haven't noticed any eating. Also she isn't hanging around and in the nesting box all day. She seems to of passed the torche to the other Silkie who is being a brat. But I'm not holding my breath on bossy boots.

1. put him in a dark place until you get up. but it is spring, and everyone is noisy early these days. i can't sleep, the cat purring will keep me up, but there's something i like about the crowing, maybe you'll get used to it? LOL. try having 20 of them....secret is to keep him from thinking it's morning. but it might not work, because he's a rooster. no guarantees that the dark place will help...i knew someone who threw theirs in the garage for a few weeks, no lights or windows. he roosted and then woke up when they opened the door to let him out.

2. looks like she's adopted head hen....check and see if she has a hidden nest in a corner somewhere. if she doesn't, haul her around for a little while...she probably will pass the attitude on...but if you have been able to break it before you should be able to again.

3. get more girls have you seen chicken saddles? i dont use them, but some people swear by them to help protect the girls. i don't worry about it unless they get cold, scratched or cut. the feathers will grow back with the next moult, not before.

glad the peepers worked!!!!

get ear plugs. lol My roosters start crowing at around 4am all year long, and my guinea fowl many nights make random noises at anytime during the night.

Best of luck.

My drama today was a rereorg.of the rooster hierarchy.

We saw 2 fighting under the pine trees and a little while late when I went out to clean the shed coop one of the cockerels was cowering on the deck in a corner. He was bloodied and shaking so I put him in a spare cage to recoup. The brother to him was bloody too but strutting arpund and all else seemed OK. Then when I went out to close up, Yuri the top Orloff roo, was cowering on a shelf and went and hid in the big nest box. Yuri's son Boris was on the roost with the hens and so was Dick the other older roo who's always been second to Yuri. The other young cockerel was out of the way but fine.

So, will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow! May need to rearrange some, and the funny thing was when they all went out this morning they seemed so peaceful!!!

Ah like the spring run of sap the spring run of testosterone is on as well . Go figure , young boys will be boys when it comes to the ladies
Luck all lol.

I had one little bantam ameraucana that would start crowing at 3 am and would crow every minute, I kid you not.I got rid of him, afraid the neighbors would start complaining .I was lying in bed one day timing him.

Sometimes it is between 2-3am but the majority is 3:30 to 4am. It's never 7am on a Sunday that I can guarantee. ha!! Everyone else in the house sleeps through it, but I'm awake instantly. Then I lay there and think omg, they're under attack, so I USED to go and look. I would open the coop door and girls are sleeping but he's just staring at me through the flashlight beam. Now when he crows I'm like, be eaten you noisy bugger!! Then I'll finally be able to get some sleep. But as I try to sleep between crows, in my faded memory I have visions of opening the coop door to a blood bath. Enjoy your chickens. It's what I hear all the time. LOL.

More hens! OK. Hopefully I get plenty from my spring order of Amercanas. Maybe I should up my dozen. Ya, think I'll up it. PM coming your way :)

Sandy,

I will be producing some "mute" chicken breed chicks later this spring, I would be willing to give you a good deal on a bunch? Better price than kijiji, lol sorry couldn't resist.

JimW

yep, I heard of a bloodline of leghorns that was almost silent but the clubs and commercial guys had no interest. so the flock and the breeder expired.