kannie Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 We've moved from the city to the country, and for the first time our 2 mature hens are encountering other chickens: our next door neighbour has 8 young bantams who regularly frequent our garden. At first this wasn't a problem because the bantams were immature and there were 4 gardens that they all roamed through. However now 2 of the bantams have matured into rampant cockerels. What happens is that the cockerels chase Lottie, our big bluebelle, she squats, and they grab her scruff and try to mount. It never works: she's much too big and they just slide off and end up fighting each other. In the process Lottie's getting even more scared and skittish than usual, and her comb's looking quite battered. If they were successful things might settle down, but they're way too small! Yesterday things got worse as another neighbours new spring flowers got trashed, and the 4 gardens are now down to 2. Now it's going to be much harder for Lottie to hide. I don't know what to do. Our bantam owning neighbour is very nice and has suggested putting chicken wire along the hedge to prevent the cockerels bullying Lottie. I don't really want this because I love seeing her bantams in our garden and our hens love her garden (we've got no grass!) I don't really want to get our own cockerel: if we got a 3rd bird I'd rather have a young hen as we hardly get any eggs now. I do wonder if it would help if she got rid of one of her 2 warring cockerels. What should I do? Sorry for such a long post! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jellykelly Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 If I were in this situation I would get a few bantams myself. Mr amorous would have a greater selection of girls to get jiggy with and may leave your bluebell alone. However if this didn't help the situation, I would suggest to the neighbours that Mr amorous becomes a pie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migsy Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 I'm afraid that the chicken wire sounds like the most sensible solution. Then you will have a perfect excuse to get some more hens to make up for the loss of the neighbour's bantams. What will you choose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Oh, I don't think you can seriously expect your neighbour to get rid of any chooks. After all he was there before you and you have previously enjoyed the mingling of flocks without complaint. If they are bothering yours because they get into your garden then you will have to secure your space. Keeping everything in the free range you have described, if it was me I'd get a few more hens and a full sized cockerel. Sorry...........just my slant on things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted May 3, 2011 Author Share Posted May 3, 2011 The thing about the 2 cockerels is that they do war. One is definitely tops but the other isn't entirely subservient. I'm suspecting it all gets worst around Lottie because she succumbs and neither of them can have their evil way successfully and so I think their pride is dented. If there was just one then he might slide off, embarrassed, and slink away? The neighbour has previously mentioned the possibility of getting rid of one before this became a Lottie issue. I don't know if she's become more attached to having two since. To be honest our garden isn't really suited to having hens free ranging in it alone. Its not big, there's no grass and little shelter, just immature plants, as it's a new garden. Plenty of dust baths though! Our hens are used to a mature sheltered garden and so prefer the neighbours, whereas her hens quite like ours! I agree that another hen and a full sized cockerel would be the answer, but then I think neither of us would ever successfully grow anything. I have wondered about getting a ramp down to the field at the bottom of our garden (with permission), but I doubt Lottie would venture down it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 It sounds as if they have too many cockerels per hens..... hence them bothering your girls. If you think it will be well received, then I'd gently suggest that they rehome one of their boys (usually a ratio of one cock per 4 girls works well). I am slightly surprised that the other neighbours have put up with the roaming chooks for so long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 How about securing a small run for your chooks at the bottom of the garden. Get that ramp done.....I'm sure there would be no problem there. I'm equally sure Lottie would get bored in a small enclosure and would eventually venture down that ramp. Chooks are very adaptable.....don't worry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migsy Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Why do they only pick on Lottie? What about Lilly? Sorry if this is a silly question, just wondering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henchanted Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 If I were in this situation I would get a few bantams myself. Mr amorous would have a greater selection of girls to get jiggy with and may leave your bluebell alone. However if this didn't help the situation, I would suggest to the neighbours that Mr amorous becomes a pie! Is that Pi R(ooster) squared? Sorry I don't have any of my own suggestions but Jellykelly's former suggestion sounds the ideal positive solution given that you also like bantams and don't want a fence. Or PiR2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 this reads like a Daily Mail article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 I was thinking 'escape to the country' but now in the middle of 'East Enders' Suggestions for shade in a new garden - try getting a small apple tree to go in a tub. Our chooks love mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 Ooh - sorry just noticed more posts! They only pick on Lottie because Lily stands up for herself. a) she runs faster and b) if the catch her she turns round and lands a peck, which sees them off. Pity Lottie doesn't do the same, since she's the biggest of all and could squash the pesky roosters easily if she tried! I think also maybe because Lottie's our head chook, for some bizarre reason. And not a silly question at all migsy. The shade we have is in the hedge, which is one reason why I don't want chicken wire particularlynon our side: all the hens and cats love it. But yes good idea to get some potted things to add height. Will do. It's a strange thing the city / country thing, actually. It's like the country is hen metropolis and the opposite for humans. more sense of community for all of us down here though. I'm surprised the neighbours were happy with so much hen activity in their garden for so long, but then neither we nor next door had hens last spring, so last years lush new annuals were presumably ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 If you do need to resort to putting chicken wire along your hedge then a tip is to cut the hedge well back, put up the wire and then let the hedge grow back through the wire. That way you won't see the wire and the chooks will get some shade from the hedge once it has grown back. This works with yew, holly, box and privet but not with leylandi. It will look a bit suburban when you first do it but that won't last long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 Thanks cheaky chook. We chatted over the hedge again this evening. Our neighbour is thinking she might reduce here flock a bit, by one cockerel and one hen, as there's less garden available now. It's good to know she'll do this if necessary. Glad to know she's got an eye out for Lottie too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted May 19, 2011 Author Share Posted May 19, 2011 An update. Things got worse. Lottie began to get quite raw down her neck. The neighbours started putting chicken wire along the hedge but ran out half way along. Then things got much worse as our hens escape routes were cut off and they got trapped in the hedge that had previously led them to safety. Lily came home on Tuesday with dried blood down her chest - I think from a pecked nose (though of course it's possible it was someone else's blood!) Our neighbour is still being really neighbourly and we're now taking turns in letting hens out or giving them a day in the run. The chicken wiring of the hedge will be completed on Saturday. Sad. I'll miss most of the bantams (not the cockerels) and our hens'll miss roaming but will hopefully feel safer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Glad to hear that you were able to sort it out with the neighbour, Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 My little Pekin cockerel often tries his luck with one of my Orpingtons & falls off in a flurry of indignation ............I would have thought cutting the boy ratio down to just the one would have made a huge difference, and maybe the addition of an extra bantam or two to add more variety...........it's sad that you've had to go down the closing of the fence route ..I hope Lottie & Lily recover quickly Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted May 19, 2011 Author Share Posted May 19, 2011 Yes, I agree, and she is trying to rehome one cockerel and one hen, and we could always remove the fence again. Another neighbour who bred these bantams said she's found cockerels of that breed particularly aggressive. She's changed to a different breed now and says her new cockerel is much more gentlemanly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migsy Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Glad you have found a way that works! I know you like the bantams but we can't have everything At least Lottie can relax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
