Blue Copper and Splash Copper Marans Discussion

[Hens and Roos]

I have questions about moving the rotation of roosters discussed earlier and wondered if anyone could help me out.

1. If you put pullets in with the rooster that he doesn't know, into his pen have you ever had problems with him attacking them.

2. If you move a rooster to a pen with lots (12-13) of 1 year old layers do they attack him or does he just settle in as the boss

3. When you do the rotations am i correct in assuming that the females have their own pen and you put the rooster into their pen?


I am short of pens for now, for making lots of moves around and I would like to see what kinds of chicks i get from Spike, but
he is in jail from previous aggressive behaviour so i am a bit nervous of putting the two BCM pullets that i have that are laying
in with him because it's his pen, and I don't have another pen to move all of them into so they would all be on unfamiliar territory.

In general... how do you physically move the roosters? I know this sounds crazy but they are big and picking them up or even
catching them for that matter makes me nervous. If grabbing them and carrying them is how it's normally done then i will
get out there and do the job, but i was wondering how you all actually physically move your roosters around.... Twizzler is HUGE
and Spike is very big too..

sorry for asking such dumb newbie questions but i see myself moving them around alot, and I plan to keep 4 marans roosters so i better
get used to it and learn how to do it right.

I will try and give ideas of what works for me.

We have had no problems adding hens to a pen with the rooster already in it, but have had hens pick on the rooster when he is added in with them. The hens will have a pecking order and a "boss" hen and it might take a bit for the rooster to become the leader of that group. In fact we have 3 Marans hens who are bossing the rooster around and he pretty much stays in the coop and out of their way- makes it hard to get fertile eggs!

I am thinking you can set up your pens how it works for you but if you are wanting to mark each hens eggs for ability to track, then it would be easier to have each hen in her own pen and move the rooster every couple days.

To move a rooster, the easiest way would be to wait till they roost at night, grab them off the roost and move them. Walk in confident and don't let them see you hesitate- no matter what make sure you come out with the rooster in your hands or use a net. It will get easier as you go. Good Luck and HTH

 

[gilavina]

I have questions about moving the rotation of roosters discussed earlier and wondered if anyone could help me out.

1. If you put pullets in with the rooster that he doesn't know, into his pen have you ever had problems with him attacking them.

2. If you move a rooster to a pen with lots (12-13) of 1 year old layers do they attack him or does he just settle in as the boss

3. When you do the rotations am i correct in assuming that the females have their own pen and you put the rooster into their pen?


I am short of pens for now, for making lots of moves around and I would like to see what kinds of chicks i get from Spike, but
he is in jail from previous aggressive behaviour so i am a bit nervous of putting the two BCM pullets that i have that are laying
in with him because it's his pen, and I don't have another pen to move all of them into so they would all be on unfamiliar territory.

In general... how do you physically move the roosters? I know this sounds crazy but they are big and picking them up or even
catching them for that matter makes me nervous. If grabbing them and carrying them is how it's normally done then i will
get out there and do the job, but i was wondering how you all actually physically move your roosters around.... Twizzler is HUGE
and Spike is very big too..

sorry for asking such dumb newbie questions but i see myself moving them around alot, and I plan to keep 4 marans roosters so i better
get used to it and learn how to do it right.

On aggressive behavior, I've not had a male be that way with a pullet, unless it was no manners in trying to breed or just plain inexperience. I put young males here in with my hens in the layer flock because they will teach them how to behave. I'm not sure when you say attacking, what that all entails. Birds will work to establish an order and younger birds usually are not as swift about it, so it just depends on what they are doing to make a determination.

your 3rd question, for test mating, each hen has their own pen and the male is rotated, here is it daily he is moved,

As far as moving males, I just catch them and move them. The more you get used to handling them, the less you will think about it. Its just part of raising poultry. My males are turkeys, but are used to being handled so don't put up a fuss when its time to move them. As the chicks here go through the growth process they regularly get handled to look them over and to check their width and etc, so by the time they are adults, they do well with it. I don't keep a bird that's aggressive towards humans here at all. If they are aggressive to other birds, they go in with the hens for manner training and if that still doesn't help, they gotta go. I just don't have time to deal with that kind of behavior. I rarely get an aggressive bird anymore.

 

[Woodi]

Anyone with Blue Coppers in upstate S.C.?

 

[bamachicks8]

hi everybody I am hatching out eggs and I have what is either a blue copper or a splash maran can't someone please post pictures of the two?

 

[Runawaylobster]

Thank youso much for your replies this morning... It helped me out alot and after considering.
I think i am
going to give spike one chance to be nice in the layer pen with the big girls hoping he will grow
some manners. I have two BCM pullets just started laying in there so i will be able to hatch
just a few eggs and see how he does with making nice chicks. I still haven't decided what pens
i am going to build but i will need at least 3 more.

i'm still leary of the actual manouver but as you said.. i just need to get used to it. maybe
you will see me in the funny video section of you tube when i try to do this LOL!! i'll keep you
posted..

 

[choptank330]

I just found out my splash is a blue splash, what will i get when I breed her to my FBCM???

 

[DMRippy]

I just found out my splash is a blue splash, what will i get when I breed her to my FBCM???

There is Blue, Black and Splash... not BLUE SPLASH. If you breed a splash to a black you will get 100% Blue chicks.

 

[gilavina]

I just found out my splash is a blue splash, what will i get when I breed her to my FBCM???

a splash is a splash, there is not really a separate category for blue splash, they are still just splash, they just have a stronger appearance of blue. Splashes can come in a wide variety of shades and patterns of spots and etc. If you breed a splash to a black, you will get 100% blue

 

[gilavina]

Well shoot Donna, you were faster on the draw than me!

 

[choptank330]

Oh OK. The lady just told me that she was a blue splash. Thanks everyone you all are so helpful.