Integrating a cockerel into a flock of mature hens

[islandgirl82]

Quote:

Are you saying that if I cross a dom hen with the buckeye boy I will get sexlinks? How do I tell boy from girl in that scenario?


OH..and I got my bucks from a breeder rather than hatchery. There may be some good breeders in your area but the "Buckeye world" can be very...what's the word.... (obnoxious? mean? arrogant?) in some circles. One of the clubs seems to be very helpful and have a better attitude and outlook I was warned ahead by some of the "seasoned" folks as I'm not interested in that kind of behavior or politics.

If you put a "solid" or non-barred rooster over a barred hen, the chicks will be sex linked. The males will be black with a white dot on their heads at hatch.

Any group of people, chicken breeders included, can be that way.
Doesn't matter what species or breed........just like you can't really attribute finite/absolute chicken behaviors to specific breeds.

This is so true. Though they may provide very helpful information and excellent resources, the opinions must be taken with a grain of salt.

 

[aart]

I can kinda understand the pure breeders frustration with newbie BYCer's and their hatchery stock.
That of course does not condone rude behavior.

The Ameraucana/Araucana marketing scam really sets me off,
and seriously challenges my scant diplomatic skills.

 

[speckledhen]

I wanted to interject about sex links. My first hatches included eggs from a new friend's McMurray BR flock. She had several other roosters, which, for various reasons, she did not believe would be in the gene pool. One was very old, a Cochin/Silkie cross, and a young Silver Phoenix, plus one young McMurray Easter Egger. Well, the first batch I hatched, I got sex linked chicks from ALL three roosters, LOL. Males were all barred, pullets were all gorgeous. The Silver Phoenix were the ones hardest to figure out because the males appeared to be BR pullets; that is, until at 3-4 weeks, they all had extra long tails and bright pink combs. The pullet of that cross was solid black. Anyway, that was my first lesson in sex links. The next batch, my friend made sure I got some pure BRs, but there was sure a bunch of unauthorized breeding in the first one.

 

[islandgirl82]

I can kinda understand the pure breeders frustration with newbie BYCer's and their hatchery stock.
That of course does not condone rude behavior.

The Ameraucana/Araucana marketing scam really sets me off,
and seriously challenges my scant diplomatic skills.

The rudeness is one point I had in mind. Honey goes down easier than vinegar.

As for the Americana/Ameraucana scam, I didn't know the difference when I started keeping chickens but didn't care because ...well...TINY PET DINOSAURS. That said, after being properly informed a few years in, I can understand the frustration.

 

[aart]

..... but didn't care because ...well...TINY PET DINOSAURS.....

I Know, Right!?!?!?

 

[speckledhen]

The rudeness is one point I had in mind. Honey goes down easier than vinegar.

As for the Americana/Ameraucana scam, I didn't know the difference when I started keeping chickens but didn't care because ...well...TINY PET DINOSAURS. That said, after being properly informed a few years in, I can understand the frustration.

I'm with you. Why be so darn rude? I get being frustrated, too, but it's a different person you're trying to educate, usually, not the same one who isn't getting it (though, yeah, that, too happens).

 

[islandgirl82]

We've had a few days lately that feel more like that Spring chill than Autumn which has the whole flock very excitable and Ichabod is becoming more assertive with the pullets (he's leaving the hens alone). He does a little shimmy just before leaning forward and breaking into a less-than-graceful run. He looks as though his gathering up pants that are far too large and holding them up as he darts around after them. Too bad for him they run faster than he does but seeing him take off never gets old.

This morning he accompanied my son and me to the end of the drive to wait for his school bus (my daughter's bus arrives before dawn and the flock isn't out then). He even waited there as we crossed the road for my son to board and for me to return. As soon as I got back to him, he took a step towards the bus, puffed himself up and crowed continuously until it drove out of sight. He probably thought he intimidated it and made it run away.

Making his way after us to the end of the drive and stopping for some goodies along the way.


Crowing at the school bus


Ichabod with the pullets

 

[aart]

GRIN...great story and photos!

 

[speckledhen]

Awww, I'm in love with that boy! Great pictures and story. Love the too-big-pants line, LOL.

 

[islandgirl82]

It's that torpedo dash; like other cockerels/roosters I've watched do this, he arches out his wings but unlike them, he keeps the tips of his wings close to his sides like he's holding up his trousers. It cracks me up every time.