What to Look for in a Broody Rooster

[Perris]

thanks @centrarchid !

 

[centrarchid]

Full on broodiness in display. Hen stopped clucking and now running chicks off at least intermittently. Chicks now oriented on rooster. When they produce distressed contact calls he is the one that responds. His calls are very close to clucking and he is holding his tail up like a hen that is escorting her brood. Hen is freed up to forage more broadly for larger and more evasive prey. Hen still tolerates a chick under her while on the roost. Remaining two chicks now under rooster and he spreads his wings to cover them as all sleep on elevated roost. Now at 4 eggs in nest.

 

[centrarchid]

Nap time in pen next to house.

 

[centrarchid]

Notice how rooster holds hackle feathers when engaging a snake. Even chicks involved.

 

[centrarchid]

The harem released at dawn as chicks already down and foraging under rose bus just outside of cage. Immediately the group began the fast walk picking up exposed night flying insects not net down in the grass. They are also getting grasshoppers not yet warmed enough to jump effectively.

We have two dog problems developing. Neighbors to south south east have a least 5 terriers that let out that are getting closer each day to south east boundary of where I keep chickens and a broody hen is incubating a clutch under the grape vines. If the little dogs are caught on our property, my dogs, females especially are likely to kill the trespasser. To north east across the road is a free-ranging pack of at least six dogs that an only be justified through use of pictures. Owner of those dogs is getting everyone riled, but his immediate neighbors not saying much to my knowledge even when appears to have abandoned chicken interest because of those dogs. I may not be so nice in coming days. Those my three dogs to four dogs can not handle. The chickens, including the harem are penned when I am not around. Rifle is kept close to door.

 

[AmyJane725]

Good luck protecting your birds from the marauding packs. Must be a stressful time.

 

[aart]

We have two dog problems developing.

So, new neighbors or....same neighbors new packs of dogs?

 

[centrarchid]

So, new neighbors or....same neighbors new packs of dogs?

Neighbor to south east been here for a while and they have a new group of dogs plus and older female that used to be a problem around chickens. I broke the big female off killing chickens. Now she is welcomes by all but me. She steals my carcass experiments with extreme regularity and you do not want to pet her because she rolls in all dead stuff. Neighbors to north are new and have several dogs ranging between 45 and 80 lbs. The two larger standard poodles and a whitish yellow lab we have fought near out trash can by road but when combined with other three we will not prevail unless I am present. A couple times they came as singles and my females in particular sent them running.

 

[centrarchid]

Here is a kicker. Just before roosting time we had a strong spate of wind from northeast. A lot of stuff got blown around. Rooster and brood currently roosting in high weeds just off porch. Mother of those chicks roosting in up in a bush about 20 feet away.

I can hear hen with seven chicks (picture below) about 2 days post-hatch a few feet away clucking gently to her bitties.

 

[centrarchid]

Here the little munch is harvesting Elder Berries and feeding them to juvenile offspring and hen. It looks like a miniature browse line like left by cattle or large number of deer in a woods. He get all the ripe fruit below about 36".