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  1. Redhead Rae

    Comment by 'Redhead Rae' in article 'Selecting Good Flock Roosters'

    Ah, that could be tricky. It means he views you as a hen and member of his flock, which means he thinks he is over you in the hierarchy. This in turn can mean that he might take it into his head that you could deserve chastisement at some point. He might never attack you or another person, but...
  2. Redhead Rae

    Comment by 'Redhead Rae' in article 'Selecting Good Flock Roosters'

    Just a tip about Mr Jeans, make sure he isn't crowding your space. Watching you is fine, all my good roosters do that. If he starts not respecting your bubble (3ft or more radius) and starts trying to push or herd you around, you might be in for some trouble. Take a look at Beekissed's Rooster...
  3. Redhead Rae

    Comment by 'Redhead Rae' in article 'Selecting Good Flock Roosters'

    It isn't their fault. The way we raise chickens (particularly for small flocks) isn't natural. In the wild, they are raised by a hen who teaches them manners and there are other sexually hens/pullets around for them to mate and their hatch mates aren't confined to the same area they are. We just...
  4. Redhead Rae

    Comment by 'Redhead Rae' in article 'Selecting Good Flock Roosters'

    11 weeks is a little young to tell. They don't really start feeling their hormones until 14-15 weeks. Keep an eye on them. You will most likely have to get rid of one, if for no other reason than you don't have enough pullets for them. Also, cockerels mature MUCH faster than pullets. They will...
  5. Redhead Rae

    Comment by 'Redhead Rae' in article 'Emergency Chick Brooder for Power Outages'

    Thanks! I fixed the error. Thank you for reviewing!
  6. Emergency Chick Brooder for Power Outages

    Emergency Chick Brooder for Power Outages

    Imagine this, you wake up in the middle of the night and the power is out. You get up, set up the emergency lights in the house, call the power company, and go back to bed. But something is nagging you. *GASP* You have newly hatched chicks drying in the incubator and you have no power to keep...
  7. Outdoor Brooding from Day One

    Outdoor Brooding from Day One

    One of the biggest challenges of raising chicks is figuring out how to brood them without stinking up your house or killing the chicks from exposure. Mother hens can effectively hatch and raise chicks out of doors even in the dead of winter. The chicks run out from under mom to get food and...
  8. Redhead Rae

    Review by 'Redhead Rae' in article 'The Dangers of a Tractor-style Coop'

    I’ve had this problem with tractors, but mine are pvc with a separate “coop” that moves with it. So it isn’t as heavy if I have to move with birds contained in it, and it won’t crush them or I can leave them in their coop and move the tractor separately.
  9. Redhead Rae

    Comment by 'Redhead Rae' in article 'Franken-bator -- Converting a cheap yellow topped model with the Incukit Mini'

    No suggestions. I was never able to figure out some of the controls either. Especially the days control. It also got worse the more I used the incubator. I think some moisture got into the control box.
  10. Redhead Rae

    Comment by 'Redhead Rae' in article 'Selecting Good Flock Roosters'

    Even if I didn't have kids, I wouldn't want a rooster that didn't respect me, I might try harder to "reform" bad actors but not out and out terrors. What if I was having to deal with an injured hen or working on something in their run. It is unnerving to always have to watch your back when you...
  11. Redhead Rae

    Comment by 'Redhead Rae' in article 'Selecting Good Flock Roosters'

    I’m sorry you couldn’t make retraining work. Some roosters just can’t be taught manners. I’m glad you have replacements (that seem to be nice) ready to step in. I can’t envision my flock without a rooster.
  12. Redhead Rae

    Review by 'Redhead Rae' in article 'Name That Chicken! A Guide to Improving your Identification Skills'

  13. Redhead Rae

    Comment by 'Redhead Rae' in article 'Selecting Good Flock Roosters'

    I'm glad it helped! One disadvantage people have when dealing with chickens is our swift actions are really limited to just are feet (our hands are too high), which are pretty blunt instruments and can't keep a bird far enough away from our bodies to do damage. Sticks or poles really help extend...
  14. Redhead Rae

    Comment by 'Redhead Rae' in article 'Selecting Good Flock Roosters'

    If you want to keep him, I suggest looking at the article I linked to and seeing if that helps. Having a stick or pole (3-4ft long) in your hand and making him move out of your "bubble" any time you get close to him or he gets close to you is a good way to start. But I wouldn't ever completely...
  15. Selecting Good Flock Roosters

    Selecting Good Flock Roosters

    When selecting roosters for your flock, many people only consider the breed or the confirmation of the bird (when selecting for the Standard Of Perfection). However, a rooster can be the breed that you want or meet every checkpoint on the SOP but still be a very bad flock rooster. Here is a list...
  16. Redhead Rae

    Comment by 'Redhead Rae' in article 'How to Cull a Chick with Kitchen Sheers (Scissors) for Squeamish People *slightly graphic*'

    I found the chicks I did this with to be much less wiggly than they would have been if they were free. I also mention. Checking your positioning before doing the deed. It is very easy to feel the chick through the paper towel. The first chick I had to cull was the chick with the messed up legs...
  17. How to Cull a Chick with Kitchen Sheers (Scissors) for Squeamish People *slightly graphic*

    How to Cull a Chick with Kitchen Sheers (Scissors) for Squeamish People *slightly graphic*

    *No chicks were harmed in the writing of this article* Whether you hatch your own chicks, order them from a hatchery, or buy them from a feed store, sometimes, something just goes wrong. The chick doesn't thrive and just goes slowly downhill despite efforts to help. An injury or genetic...
  18. Redhead Rae

    Comment by 'Redhead Rae' in article 'Franken-bator -- Converting a cheap yellow topped model with the Incukit Mini'

    The main problem I was running into was keeping it low enough if I added any water at all. Also, the instructions where in horribly written English, probably auto translated from another language so it wasn’t clear how to adjust things. The main problem was keeping the incubator at a stable temp...
  19. Redhead Rae

    Comment by 'Redhead Rae' in article 'Franken-bator -- Converting a cheap yellow topped model with the Incukit Mini'

    I did insulate the original incubators. I worked with it for several months and dozens of eggs before I gave up on them. Also, the way this incubator is built, it wouldn't have been more trouble and money to try to troubleshoot all those systems individually, since the incubator wasn't designed...
  20. Redhead Rae

    Comment by 'Redhead Rae' in article 'Franken-bator -- Converting a cheap yellow topped model with the Incukit Mini'

    I agree, I should have spent more money up front on a mid-range model. In fact, I’ve kicked myself in the butt several times, metaphorically speaking, for not spending the extra $100 to get the 56 egg Brinsea instead of the 28. My converted incubators are DEFINITELY NOT on par with my Brinsea...
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