# 10 Weeks Old!



## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

My chickens are finally 10 weeks old! They grew so fast. From tiny, peeping balls of fuzz to these big fluffy birds. I love them just as much as I did when they arrived in that little box in the mail. Wigwam is getting big and beautiful! His comb is a bright red and he's starting to find his voice. Not crowing, but the gravelly throated singing that roosters do a lot. I like the sound of it; I think it's kinda cute. He's a pretty skittish when you go to pick him up. He'll run for a long time from you, but lately he's been getting better about it. He's perfectly fine after I pick him up, though. He'll relax in my arms and lay his head on me. He's very nice. I really love him. I do have an important question about him, however.
If Wigwam had a no-crow collar, my parents wouldn't mind him. But, since we only have three hens, wouldn't he over-mount them? Wouldn't the hens lose feathers and get a little beat up? I read that for every rooster, you are supposed to have at least 8 hens. If this isn't the case, and Wigwam is nice to his ladies, then we can maybe keep him.
He's already starting to keep watch over them, in the coop or when we let them out to hang around the yard.
Here are some pictures from yesterday and today. 
Yesterday the chickens took dust baths, but it was funny because they all sandwiched together and took a group dust bath. It was so cute!
Today we gave them some watermelon, which they enjoyed immensely. Wigwam even jumped in the little pool of watermelon juice that was in the half. They hollowed it out and loved eating the seeds and the delicious fruit part. My brother and I sat down and ate some slices with them.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Looks like you raised them right.You got a good looking little flock.When roosters get their hormones,they are raging lunatics until about a year old and then they settle down.Watch you rooster and make sure he's not too aggressive with the girls or they'll end up injured.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Chickens love watermelon, they'll eat it right down to the skin. But dont give them too much because it'll give them watery diarrhea.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Very nice pictures! Roosters crow a lot and are very clumsy in the romance department when they are young. But everything calms down as they get older. Whether he has 3 hens or 13 hens, one or two end up favorites and lose some feathers on their back.


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## oldhen2345 (May 14, 2017)

If Wigwam gets too energetic and the hens start to lose feathers, an apron or hen saddle would help. This protects their backs from his claws and is very cute.


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## Wilbur's Mom (Aug 10, 2017)

Great pics! Will have to give mine some watermelon as well!


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

chickenqueen said:


> Looks like you raised them right.You got a good looking little flock.When roosters get their hormones,they are raging lunatics until about a year old and then they settle down.Watch you rooster and make sure he's not too aggressive with the girls or they'll end up injured.


I check on the chickens twice a day. Today, I witnessed Wigwam grab Petal by the neck and just hold onto her for a solid ten seconds until she stopped screeching. Then he let go and they all went about their day. I checked out Petal later and she had no injuries, but Wigwam looked like he bit her hard and she had the chicken screams to prove it.


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

oldhen2345 said:


> If Wigwam gets too energetic and the hens start to lose feathers, an apron or hen saddle would help. This protects their backs from his claws and is very cute.


I've looked into saddles a lot. If we keep Wigwam, I'll be sure to get all my chicken clothes - collars and saddles! Haha!


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

seminolewind said:


> Very nice pictures! Roosters crow a lot and are very clumsy in the romance department when they are young. But everything calms down as they get older. Whether he has 3 hens or 13 hens, one or two end up favorites and lose some feathers on their back.


Thank you! Wigs is only 10 weeks now, so he won't start crowing for at least a few more weeks...I hope. Then I'll get him the collar and it will be time to decide his fate - a farm with other roosters and more hens and probably a more exciting life - or his current 3 hen flock with me. At my friend's grandparent's, he won't have to wear that collar. Anyways, I'll be figuring that out.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Chicken saddles/aprons work, I've used them before. It takes the hens about 10 minutes getting used to wearing them. I had one hen that took a longer though, but she finally got used to it.


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

dawg53 said:


> Chicken saddles/aprons work, I've used them before. It takes the hens about 10 minutes getting used to wearing them. I had one hen that took a longer though, but she finally got used to it.


That's nice to hear that those work. However, I was just wondering if Wigwam would have a better life on my friend's grandparent's farm. I'm pretty sure all their chickens are free range. Her grandpa knows a good bit about chickens, too. Wigwam wouldn't have to wear a no crow collar, either. I watched some videos on YouTube of roosters crowing with the collars on, and they weren't totally silent, which would be obvious, but the crows may still be loud enough to be heard from our house. 
The chicken coop is positioned about 50 feet away from the house in the front yard. There is trees on either side, but the bushes in the front have been removed because they harbor thousands of bugs. Either way, the foliage around the coop would not insulate the sound well. 
Our hens may have a little bit of a stressful time due to the over-mounting. I love my hens and my rooster, but it could be better for both of them to get Wigwam a new home.
Let me know what you think.


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## oldhen2345 (May 14, 2017)

Wilbur's Mom said:


> Great pics! Will have to give mine some watermelon as well!


Mine just love watermelon. I found out they hate parsley and celery though. LOL


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Wigwam7 said:


> That's nice to hear that those work. However, I was just wondering if Wigwam would have a better life on my friend's grandparent's farm. I'm pretty sure all their chickens are free range. Her grandpa knows a good bit about chickens, too. Wigwam wouldn't have to wear a no crow collar, either. I watched some videos on YouTube of roosters crowing with the collars on, and they weren't totally silent, which would be obvious, but the crows may still be loud enough to be heard from our house.
> The chicken coop is positioned about 50 feet away from the house in the front yard. There is trees on either side, but the bushes in the front have been removed because they harbor thousands of bugs. Either way, the foliage around the coop would not insulate the sound well.
> Our hens may have a little bit of a stressful time due to the over-mounting. I love my hens and my rooster, but it could be better for both of them to get Wigwam a new home.
> Let me know what you think.


I agree with you. I think it would be best if Wigwam went to your friends's grandparent's farm. It would be less stressful on your hens. Good luck!


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

dawg53 said:


> I agree with you. I think it would be best if Wigwam went to your friends's grandparent's farm. It would be less stressful on your hens. Good luck!


Yes, I think he will enjoy it there. My friend and I talked this morning and I found out that her grandparent's coop is very large, and their chickens can forage in the garden all day long. If you see my newer thread, you will get an update.


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