Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[IamSamSam]

Very cool Ash! Hubby really really wants some light sussex . But I'm impressed with our little australorps laying so thinking I'll hatch those again.

I got my LS from just south Ulladulla Apps. Good price too. Wilma has been laying great.

 

[IamSamSam]

[COLOR=333333]Second hatch of the season just going into lockdown[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Indian Game and Light Sussex.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]xxxxx M[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333] [/COLOR]

Can't wait for more chook / chick pics Ash

 

[Fancychooklady]

It's snowing again !

 

[appps]

I got my LS from just south Ulladulla Apps. Good price too. Wilma has been laying great.

He came and showed me these for sale on gumtree today. I think he is one of those fickle males it seems lol

 

[Kleonaptra]

Kleonpatra ... just opening up a conversation here.

I am by no means anywhere NEAR expert with chickens ... but I do know about animal ( entires ) behaviour. .... and there's not much difference across all species, when it comes to competitiveness, or protection in order to procreate.

I gather from your remarks, that your roo is or has been, in with one particular black hen ?? re : ( " i adore my one black chookie and I'd love to see her surrounded by fuzzy butts." ) If she has been squatting for you ( any time for you or any of your children - who must be kept away from rooster ) .... then he would see that as a HUGE challenge, to his [ incoming ] maturity to cover / mount. I know the entire male of any species is very aggressive when 'on the scent' - in order to pass on HIS and his only, genes to further a flock, herd or band.

I agree with appps, .... head chicken thing. .... and if she is squatting for you, then she ( he thinks ) prefers you. ... He is trying to mark his territory - as is his right.

I think you have to come to some peace within yourself - ( and only you know and can do this ) ... as to whether you want him because he's been with you a long time, or an Australorp which you obviously would prefer. On the other hand, an Australorp roo might well display the same tendencies, if 'black chookie' prefers your perceived 'advances' to his. !!

I have no idea how many chickens you have overall, and how their coops, runs and free range is arranged. My only suggestion is that you isolate your chicken(s) / rooster from everything else with some more wiring --- clip ALL wings including his ( after moults ??? has she / he / they all finished moulting ? ) ... and thereby stopping any flying over fences to attack, particularly your children.

But that solves one problem only. .... You are way bigger than your rooster in size and HE KNOWS IT .... which is why I would suspect he is trying the 'passive' ways of blocking you, crowing at you. etc...

As for the postie ? ... seen as another intruder into his harem ( of 1 or more ? ) ... it is so very natural for the "male-capable", of any species to protect his flock. ... Personally, I would never 'crow' back at him - would be like red rag to a bull, even if you managed to remotely hit the right note !!!!

And yes - as appps suggested - keep him ( or ANY rooster at full-on mating time ) away from your children ... just as you would not allow them near a bull in a paddock full of wanton cows, or a full-on stallion around mares coming into oestrus. .... Very dangerous stuff.

Good luck with your decisions.

Cheers ........

(If there is a double post of mine floating around, I apologise. My computer had a coniption)

Thankyou so much for your detailed answer. I apologize for not giving details of my own!

We have, Shiela, the australorp, Sheena, Gertrude and Penny, isa browns.Penny and roo are the same age, 4 months. Gertrude is 5yrs, Shiela and Sheena 3yrs. The only one roo had 'been with' was Sheena.....Who got murdered by the dog the next day.

We dont have a dog anymore. I intended to go straight out and get roo some more girls that day but got snowed under and forgot.....Only to remember after I'd written this that my poor adolescent roo was intimidated by Shiela and Gerty, and probably didnt want to hump his best friend.

By the by, any of the girls will squat for me if I make it clear I want to pick them up.

A friend who has a bit more experience with chooks says dont discount the strong bond you had when he was little. Head chook or no, he sees you as one of HIS girls.

So I went out to get more girls and could only get one mature girl, but I bought 3 little australorps. Well, as soon as I added Megan to the flock he went around and had EVERYONE....Except Gertrude. Cos she's a beeach.

He tried attacking me today. Sick of doing things other people told me and not feeling good about it I swept him up in a bear hug and stroked his long mane and told him how handsome he was. Every time he rushed me today, thats what I did. By the end of the day, if he looked shirty, I'd lean down and say, "Do you need a cuddle roo?" And he wander off, confused as hell....Got a funny story about roo and a boot, remind me to tell it when my kids arent screaming for food...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/g/a/7063844/new-birds-aug-2015#

Link to my pics, if it doesnt work, click my profile, scroll all the way to the bottom, album, new birds.

Back soon!

 

[appps]

(If there is a double post of mine floating around, I apologise. My computer had a coniption)

Thankyou so much for your detailed answer. I apologize for not giving details of my own!

We have, Shiela, the australorp, Sheena, Gertrude and Penny, isa browns.Penny and roo are the same age, 4 months. Gertrude is 5yrs, Shiela and Sheena 3yrs. The only one roo had 'been with' was Sheena.....Who got murdered by the dog the next day.

We dont have a dog anymore. I intended to go straight out and get roo some more girls that day but got snowed under and forgot.....Only to remember after I'd written this that my poor adolescent roo was intimidated by Shiela and Gerty, and probably didnt want to hump his best friend. 

 By the by, any of the girls will squat for me if I make it clear I want to pick them up.

 A friend who has a bit more experience with chooks says dont discount the strong bond you had when he was little. Head chook or no, he sees you as one of HIS girls. 

 So I went out to get more girls and could only get one mature girl, but I bought 3 little australorps. Well, as soon as I added Megan to the flock he went around and had EVERYONE....Except Gertrude. Cos she's a beeach. 

He tried attacking me today. Sick of doing things other people told me and not feeling good about it I swept him up in a bear hug and stroked his long mane and told him how handsome he was. Every time he rushed me today, thats what I did. By the end of the day, if he looked shirty, I'd lean down and say, "Do you need a cuddle roo?" And he wander off, confused as hell....Got a funny story about roo and a boot, remind me to tell it when my kids arent screaming for food...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/g/a/7063844/new-birds-aug-2015#

Link to my pics, if it doesnt work, click my profile, scroll all the way to the bottom, album, new birds. 

Back soon!

When you pick him up face him backwards, it's a more dominant position over him so gets the point across better too.

 

[Anniebee]

Good morning everyone!

Had a successful day at the Ekka, with some minor setbacks. The breed on before us, the Boston Terriers caused a bit of a dilemma where one dog attacked another so there had to be a full blown inquiry and investigation which badly delayed proceedings much to the disappointment of the public there to watch as well as us exhibitors.

Oh well, that's dog shows for you. Yahtzee went on to win his class.


However his sister went one better and was awarded Puppy of Breed which was wonderful! Here's some pics of Yahtzee and myself



I come home on the weekend to find my sweet boy Casanova is not well. It seems he has eaten some rodent faeces and it's really knocked him around with bad bacteria as well as thrush. I'm treating him with everything I have at the moment as given to me by some lovely local chicken breeders and following their advice. I hope he pulls through.
I will have to get some baits out - does anyone know of any that don't secondary poison?

Hearty congratulations on your wins at EKKA ... wonderful news

Love the pics too.

Shows often disturb animals, and make them feisty, aggressive, protective etc. ... and it's a drag to have things postponed because of a punch-up. Similar thing happened when showing my two Siamese at the Royal Melbourne show years ago. Very sick cat next to mine, two of us reported it - the owner went into a totally nasty tail-spin with the most appalling behaviour - when she was told to remove the sick cat. She claimed to be a doctor ( human ) and knew everything about cat illnesses - yeah right !! ... Don't think she gave a dam about the cat - only what it 'might' win for her. Was sent out and away for immediate veterinary examination. Poor wee soul.

As for rats ? I believe they loathe peppermint of any kind. ... However, whether that is safe for chooks to scratch around and eat ( oil, tea bags, chocolate innards ) is another thing. You would have to find out about that - I did not pursue it. Wire wool is another deterrent, but I figure it would have to be a heap of it to bung down their holes - as the bit I tried, they just turfed out into the chook run, which fortunately, my girls did not touch. ... The little monsters make new holes under the fence anyway !!

Was told by a stock and produce merchant who has raised chickens for years, that chickens do not eat rat faeces ( or possum - there's plenty of that around here ) ... but I had my doubts as chooks seem to eat anything !! Have to ask - are you sure it was rat faeces that Casanova got into ?

We have set traps using cheese, and bread and jam - after the girls are locked up, and removed before they are let out in the a.m. ... Have caught many that way. A tedious job though. I think the back-neighbour might have been setting rat baits, as I found a while back, one very swollen and dying rat ( put it out of its misery very quickly ) poor thing - and found several others dead in the garden. Having the chickens and Miss Ruby dog, it is occasionally like a remand centre here - eyes (mine) everywhere !!

checking to make sure all is good.

Have seen hardly any rats since all the rains we've been having ... figure their 'nests' are like swimming pools - and they have moved to drier quarters. !! But - they will be back when things dry out. ( if that ever happens here in Victoria - we are drenched ).

I do hope Casanova recovers very quickly from whatever it was that got to him. .. I did have to ask my back-neighbour, to stop throwing 'goodies' over the fence for my girls - they get only what I want them to get, and not other offerings - could someone have cast some tucker for him - that was old, not for chooks, or mouldy ?

Cheers - and good luck

...........

 

[Fancychooklady]

He came and showed me these for sale on gumtree today. I think he is one of those fickle males it seems lol

Love Mille fleur.

 

[Fancychooklady]

When you pick him up face him backwards, it's a more dominant position over him so gets the point across better too.

This is the method I use. It usually works, they will often avoid you like the plague after the humiliation of being paraded around in front of his girls.

 

[Anniebee]

(If there is a double post of mine floating around, I apologise. My computer had a coniption)

Thankyou so much for your detailed answer. I apologize for not giving details of my own!

We have, Shiela, the australorp, Sheena, Gertrude and Penny, isa browns.Penny and roo are the same age, 4 months. Gertrude is 5yrs, Shiela and Sheena 3yrs. The only one roo had 'been with' was Sheena.....Who got murdered by the dog the next day.

We dont have a dog anymore. I intended to go straight out and get roo some more girls that day but got snowed under and forgot.....Only to remember after I'd written this that my poor adolescent roo was intimidated by Shiela and Gerty, and probably didnt want to hump his best friend.

By the by, any of the girls will squat for me if I make it clear I want to pick them up.

A friend who has a bit more experience with chooks says dont discount the strong bond you had when he was little. Head chook or no, he sees you as one of HIS girls.

So I went out to get more girls and could only get one mature girl, but I bought 3 little australorps. Well, as soon as I added Megan to the flock he went around and had EVERYONE....Except Gertrude. Cos she's a beeach.

He tried attacking me today. Sick of doing things other people told me and not feeling good about it I swept him up in a bear hug and stroked his long mane and told him how handsome he was. Every time he rushed me today, thats what I did. By the end of the day, if he looked shirty, I'd lean down and say, "Do you need a cuddle roo?" And he wander off, confused as hell....Got a funny story about roo and a boot, remind me to tell it when my kids arent screaming for food...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/g/a/7063844/new-birds-aug-2015#

Link to my pics, if it doesnt work, click my profile, scroll all the way to the bottom, album, new birds.

Back soon!

Kleonpatra .... you are very welcome to my post. I tend to go overboard at times with details ... but prefer to make things very clear, than not.

...........

Loved the pics you have just posted. What a very handsome lot of birds. ... I gather you keep your beautiful ducks, separate from the chickens ?

Again, so sorry about your loss of Sheena. ... you have had a lot to contend with recently, sad to say.

My girls squat if anything comes near them - me, hubby or Miss Ruby - and none of us wish to pick them up !! Movement ? Rooster ? Yippee ? .... seems to be all that is considered. Horny little girls they are !! Mind you, they have never had a husband !!

so perhaps have figured they are missing out on something important !! ??

I think the cuddle bit for your roo is a great idea, and particularly as appps suggested and fancychooklady agreed with - face him backwards. .. Sounds a good way to put him in his place, not to mention divert his attention ? Poor little beggar, being so confused. But not confused enough to not jump everything after additions to the flock, barr one ( Gertrude the beeach ) !!

As per your friends' advice, he might well see you as 'his' girl as well - which, you being so much bigger than him, must mess with his poor head, big time. No wonder he attacks and crows at you !!

... trying to fathom it all.

Do your isa-browns produce fertile eggs to be incubated or hatched under the chicken (s), after the deed is done ? ... Was under the impression that isa-browns are hybrids and do not readily produce in a fertile way at all ? ... I may have my wires crossed on that one ?

Would very much like to hear the story of the 'roo and the boot' also ... sounds intriguing, and most likely very funny. !!

Cheers .......