Bully cock bird--what should I do?

[sourland]

Agreed. I have kept all these things in mind. I just want to exhaust all options before having to cull him.

Time for a separate smaller loft for non breeding birds. Back in the main loft when breeding is done for the season.

 

[LamarshFish]

Time for a separate smaller loft for non breeding birds. Back in the main loft when breeding is done for the season.

With an open loft / one section loft, do you know when I can expect breeding to stop?

 

[CCUK]

One of my youngsters gorgeous scalped by one of the adult males. I think it was either caused by it going near another nest and/or an egg got broken in the ensuing tussle. I couldn't separate any but things do seem to have quietened down now that the youngsters can fly about the loft.

 

[sourland]

With an open loft / one section loft, do you know when I can expect breeding to stop?

My birds, both homers and Birmingham rollers, would breed year round unless I separated the sexes. I would separate them in August and reintroduce them on Valentines day, Feb 14 - call me a romantic.

 

[LamarshFish]

My birds, both homers and Birmingham rollers, would breed year round unless I separated the sexes. I would separate them in August and reintroduce them on Valentines day, Feb 14 - call me a romantic.

This is going to be a tough one for me then. I only have one loft, and won't be able to build another this season. Fake eggs will have to do if they keep trying to breed, which I know is not ideal because there's more to it than just the fake eggs, I'd rather cocks not drive hens, and them have to tend to the nests, I think it adds unnecessary stress. I plan to replace my small one section loft next spring with a larger multi section loft.

I have that aggressive cock bird in a bunny hutch for now, it's about 4 sqft, definitively enough space for him, but he is NOT happy about it lol. I still let him fly with the others though, I just make sure when he traps back to the loft I go and grab him and put him back in his solitary confinement.

 

[sourland]

In some instances the wooden eggs work really well. Some pairs will set on fake eggs for an extended period of time. When separated some hens form lesbian pairs and set on infertile eggs. When the birds were put back together each Feb. a real love fest would break out. In most instances birds would seek out their previous mates and vigorously court. Not good to put human traits on animals, but they would truly appear joyful. I think that for now what you are doing is a good thing, and more loft space in the future is a good idea. I had two breeding lofts and three flying lofts.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Fake eggs will have to do

I mark the first egg laid. When the second one arrives I hard boil it. Then I let them tend the hard boiled egg and dispose of the first egg.

Works for me.

 

[LamarshFish]

In some instances the wooden eggs work really well. Some pairs will set on fake eggs for an extended period of time. When separated some hens form lesbian pairs and set on infertile eggs. When the birds were put back together each Feb. a real love fest would break out. In most instances birds would seek out their previous mates and vigorously court. Not good to put human traits on animals, but they would truly appear joyful. I think that for now what you are doing is a good thing, and more loft space in the future is a good idea. I had two breeding lofts and three flying lofts.

I have fake eggs. I wonder if they would eventually give up winter breeding with the fake eggs, not having been successful? I'd hate to see them set all winter, and the cock driving the hen so much. Sounds stressful!

 

[sourland]

I have fake eggs. I wonder if they would eventually give up winter breeding with the fake eggs, not having been successful? I'd hate to see them set all winter, and the cock driving the hen so much. Sounds stressful!

In my experience the Homers were easier to dissuade than the Birmingham Rollers. They had a longer spell between clutches and not as determined to breed as the rollers. Within 10 days of reuniting my rollers the first eggs would start appearing. I would take the first egg, identify it, place it in a shot glass on our bedroom dresser and return it to the nest 2 days later when the second egg was laid. If I didn't do that the first egg frequently got chilled and was not viable. Rollers were very likely to start a second clutch before the first was fully feathered, and most of my cocks would then brood the squabs in the evening. I loved my rollers, but the Coopers hawks did too.

 

[CCUK]

I mark the first egg laid. When the second one arrives I hard boil it. Then I let them tend the hard boiled egg and dispose of the first egg.

Works for me.

I have one sat on three eggs at the moment. There was originally two real eggs and a fake egg, I removed the fake egg and she just layed another egg! So now sat on three eggs. I didn't mark any eggs so I don't know which was the last one layed. If you don't want them hatching more I'd say remove them straight away and swap them for fake ones and just let her sit on them. I'm learning by my mistakes here. This is going to be a hard hatch.