Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[jajeanpierre]

Today I had some visitors, one being a hyperactive 5-year old boy. My almost 7-month old Ameraucana cockerel snuck in a little half-hearted attack on the boy, jumping up and using his feet. How big a problem is this (other than for children)? Is this likely to progress to aggression against me? I will now lock him up any time little kids visit and probably anytime anyone visits. Should I be locking him up for any visitors? Should I be inviting this bird to dinner?

He free ranges with three other same-age cockerels and three same-age pullets. One of the pullets has started laying. Another has checked out the nest boxes. The two most dominant cockerels (the above bird being #2 on the cockerel hierarchy) have started trying to attempt to breed those two pullets.

I also have a separate flock of pullets, bantams and a few small Polish, that are in a large pen. A couple of the Silkies are little hussies, sneaking out to be bred by the most dominant Ameraucana cockerel when I service their pen.

I intend to slaughter two of the Ameraucana cockerels but have just put it off because it is just not a fun thing to do. I also have a couple of bantam cockerels that free range in my back yard--again, they live because they aren't causing any problems so why not? There's a lot of testosterone at my house.

I'm not crazy about only three pullets for the two cockerels, but they all free range, so I hope it won't be a problem. I want the two cockerels for predator protection. I was really happy to see the two I intend to keep trying to attack my big scarlet macaw parrot that flew low over them today. (I fly the macaws outside.) They chased the macaw for about 40 feet--I've never seen them run so fast.

How bad was the 7-month old cockerel doing a sneaky attack on the little boy? Is that normal/expected behavior? Should I expect that kind of behavior from the other one as well?

 

[mstricer]

Yes

 

[jajeanpierre]

Yes

What is it about this forum and one-word answers that have no context!

"Yes" to which post? To which question?

 

[mstricer]

Don't be nasty there was no other posts below yours. I was answering you question YES he will be nasty you have too many roosters with 2 pullets

 

[nicalandia]

Only in the Ameraucana Thread...

 

[sbucciarel]

Today I had some visitors, one being a hyperactive 5-year old boy.  My almost 7-month old Ameraucana cockerel snuck in a little half-hearted attack on the boy, jumping up and using his feet.  How big a problem is this (other than for children)?  Is this likely to progress to aggression against me?  I will now lock him up any time little kids visit and probably anytime anyone visits.   Should I be locking him up for any visitors?  Should I be inviting this bird to dinner?

He free ranges with three other same-age cockerels and three same-age pullets.  One of the pullets has started laying.  Another has checked out the nest boxes.  The two most dominant cockerels (the above bird being #2 on the cockerel hierarchy) have started trying to attempt to breed those two pullets.

I also have a separate flock of pullets, bantams and a few small Polish, that are in a large pen.  A couple of the Silkies are little hussies, sneaking out to be bred by the most dominant Ameraucana cockerel when I service their pen.

I intend to slaughter two of the Ameraucana cockerels but have just put it off because it is just not a fun thing to do.  I also have a couple of bantam cockerels that free range in my back yard--again, they live because they aren't causing any problems so why not?  There's a lot  of testosterone at my house.

I'm not crazy about only three pullets for the two cockerels, but they all free range, so I hope it won't be a problem.  I want the two cockerels for predator protection.  I was really happy to see the two I intend to keep trying to attack my big scarlet macaw parrot that flew low over them today.  (I fly the macaws outside.)  They chased the macaw for about 40 feet--I've never seen them run so fast.


How bad was the 7-month old cockerel doing a sneaky attack on the little boy?  Is that normal/expected behavior?  Should I expect that kind of behavior from the other one as well?

I think you probably have too many roos around given the number of pullets you have, but that behavior in roosters is not uncommon. I have just one rooster who has ruled over as many as 11 hens by himself ... so he should be very happy or at least very tired ... right? He doesn't attack me, my brother or my father, but he does attack my daughter and the grandchildren. He does not like children at all.

He's a great rooster. Very protective of his hens and a real gentleman with the hens. Calls them to treats, waits until they eat before he eats, etc. I really love that rooster, so I just lock him up when the kids are around.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Don't be nasty there was no other posts below yours. I was answering you question YES he will be nasty you have too many roosters with 2 pullets

I wasn't being nasty. There are 22, 072 posts above mine; you could have been answering one of those.

My post had a kazillion questions ranging from is this behavior to be expected and normal to will it escalate and should I invite this cockerel to join me for dinner. Maybe you were answering yes to every single one of my questions, but it wasn't obvious from your one word response.

Don't get me wrong, I really do appreciate input and advice from people with more experience than me (probably everyone else on this forum). I just get frustrated by reading a one-word answer with no reference to which post it is answering. My dilemma is too serious for me to not be clear who is answering what question.

Two of the four cockerels will be slaughtered as soon as I get back my nerve. I find slaughtering birds really disturbing. No one is giving me any grief, so I have been putting it off. I'm an expert procrastinator!. I was planning on keeping the other two Ameraucana cockerels, including the one that was rude to the little boy today. There are three pullets that will be kept free ranging with those two. The other two bantam cockerels are kept separate on their own and don't mingle with anyone else, exept for through a fence occasionally.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I think you probably have too many roos around given the number of pullets you have, but that behavior in roosters is not uncommon. I have just one rooster who has ruled over as many as 11 hens by himself ... so he should be very happy or at least very tired ... right? He doesn't attack me, my brother or my father, but he does attack my daughter and the grandchildren. He does not like children at all.

He's a great rooster. Very protective of his hens and a real gentleman with the hens. Calls them to treats, waits until they eat before he eats, etc. I really love that rooster, so I just lock him up when the kids are around.

Thanks. I had expected to have more pullets, but my (expletive) mini Dachshund thinned the ranks. I have been planning to slaughter two of the cockerels, but have managed to put it off weekend after weekend. Maybe I'll just have to just do it--set a date and stick to it.

I was hoping to be able to get through the winter with just the three young pullets and the two cockerels and then in the spring place another order of Ameraucanas from the breeder I got these from. I have four Polish pullets that I had thought of putting with the free range group, but I don't like the idea of Polish free ranging. It would require me to make sure their top knots were always clipped, and I know I won't keep up with it. The little Silkie hussies are dying to come out to play with the big boys, but they are worse at free ranging than the Polish.

I like this cockerel and he impressed me today when he tried to chase down my low-flying Scarlet macaw. The two cockerels I want to keep really chased her across the field--they were really moving fast. I was impressed. I figure they'll stop a hawk attack so I kind of want to keep them both.

 

[speckledhen]

Roosters react differently to small children and that is why young kids cannot be left around any roosters without very close supervision. Kids are loud, make jerky movements and are much closer to the size of the rooster himself, as would be most predators, so they make the male of the species nervous. It's as simple as that. Even my very friendly, sweet, easygoing, lovebug Delaware rooster gets visibly nervous when the neighbor's grandkids are outside screaming and crashing around. I would never allow small kids around him unless I was holding him and he has never flogged a soul in his almost 5 years of life.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Thanks. I had expected to have more pullets, but my (expletive) mini Dachshund thinned the ranks. I have been planning to slaughter two of the cockerels, but have managed to put it off weekend after weekend. Maybe I'll just have to just do it--set a date and stick to it.

I was hoping to be able to get through the winter with just the three young pullets and the two cockerels and then in the spring place another order of Ameraucanas from the breeder I got these from. I have four Polish pullets that I had thought of putting with the free range group, but I don't like the idea of Polish free ranging. It would require me to make sure their top knots were always clipped, and I know I won't keep up with it. The little Silkie hussies are dying to come out to play with the big boys, but they are worse at free ranging than the Polish.

I like this cockerel and he impressed me today when he tried to chase down my low-flying Scarlet macaw. The two cockerels I want to keep really chased her across the field--they were really moving fast. I was impressed. I figure they'll stop a hawk attack so I kind of want to keep them both.

Go with your gut feeling. Most people keep a back up rooster anyways, its not impractical at all. Keep the two and just make a bachelor pad for one.

On the subject of free ranging polish. I dont recommend it lol. I learned the hard way. Mine were outside in winter and couldnt see to find their way back and froze. Not a good expereince. Spring and summer probably arent as a big deal, but when the cold temps come. I just really didnt want to trim their feathers and they died because of my own stupidity.

You fly macaws outside? Do they come back? And what is the point of flying them? I am just curious I have never had a macaw and really know nothing about them