Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Maven]

Congrats on the successful hunt!!

THANK YOU!!

 

[Maven]

first congratulations on the dear kills.

roosters well we all different opinions on them. what i look for in a rooster is this.

1. how is he with the flock

2. how does he free range- find food , protect and observant

3. how does he mate aggressive or gentleman

4.how much does he crow and why and why

5. how is his structure - build

6. aggression towards others- humans included



these are some of the characteristics i look for and not in exact order. with multiple roosters there will an order of the top rooster. also rooster to hen ratio is about 10 hens to 1 rooster.

Thanks, Bruce!

So going from this - what do you say is 'normal aggressive' toward other roosters/cockerels and what is not acceptable to you?

Also, at what age do you expect them to step up and become flock tenders - I know you don't expect it from birth, but at what age do you finally say 'this cockerel/rooster just ain't gonna cut it' particularly if there are no other OLDER roosters around for them to emulate?

AND - what do you consider 'normal' amount of crowing, and what becomes too much?

Thanks!

 

[Maven]

OH - and one more question on the rooster subject.

If you have a cockerel/rooster with the flock, and you want to bring another one into the flock, what do you consider is the best way to do this? I don't mean the quarantining and such, I just mean the introduction of a new rooster/cockerel to the flock to minimize the fighting/trauma/drama with the already established rooster/cockerel...

 

[jockeyeba]

Boy, spend a couple of days hunting and when I come back, I have to check the thread title half a dozen times while trying to catch up just to make sure I'm in the right thread - all dogs and canning, nary a chicken in sight!


Well, I'll stay off topic for just another minute for a little brag.... 2 deer in the freezer, one hanging now, and one tag left to fill before sundown tomorrow - guess who is all tagged out?!?! I'll give you a hint - it AIN'T the hubby. WOO-HOO! Got a nice little 4pt buck and a real nice sized doe. The Mr. has a buck already and we are hoping he gets his doe - still plenty of time. I'm so happy - this means we'll have plenty of venison for the winter, and we will also be able to supply our 3 daughters' families with plenty of stew meat and burger for the winter as well.

Ok, back to chicken business!!

[COLOR=FF0000]Question/request for the OTs:[/COLOR] Talk to me about roosters - all about them and the correct/proper behavior among multiple roosters on one place, and about cockerels coming of age and how you expect them to act from day one thru maturity to tell you that you have a keeper in a rooster. I know all about the interaction that is acceptable and proper with humans -
In other words, if your grandchild sat you down and said 'Papaw, (or Granny) tell me all about roosters!' what would you tell them?

Let's start with that and then I'll make questions more pointed towards the answers you give.

Just sit back, rub  your chin, get that far away look, and tell me about roosters....

Thanks!!

 Congrats on the successful hunt!! 

thanks again to AL for that marvelous thread that still makes me giggle when I think about it - but I want to know about rooster-to-rooster, mano-a-mano, and inter-flock behavior that is acceptable.
Where do I find this thread your talking about? I have an OEGB roo that has become unbearable to deal with. I have to put a bucket over him to get in the coop to do anything, he has flogged me 3 different times before I could get him covered up over the last 2 weeks. He's a tiny little prick too

 

[bruceh]

first congratulations on the dear kills.

roosters well we all different opinions on them. what i look for in a rooster is this.

1. how is he with the flock

2. how does he free range- find food , protect and observant

3. how does he mate aggressive or gentleman

4.how much does he crow and why ( i personally don't like excessive crowing )

5. how is his structure - build

6. aggression towards others- humans included



these are some of the characteristics i look for and not in exact order. with multiple roosters there will an order of the top rooster. also rooster to hen ratio is about 10 hens to 1 rooster.
cockerels as chicks will do the chest bump thing more so than the hens. as they get older this will continue. this is the beginning of position of head rooster. when the hit adolescence sparing may start. also when young cockerels hit puberty they can be idiots they are not gentleman . they will grab the hens at will. after some maturing roosters should calm done and start the proper mating techniques. the dancing for his mates. some hens make the rooster work for it, others just squat and others don't want him bothering them.. as the cockerel matures to a rooster they can get aggressive towards humans and anything else they see as a threat. this is where al's rooster education begins. the boot method.
these are my observations other may have different opinions.

 

[Mountain Momma]

Upper respiratory problems are never good in flocks. You have read enough to know what should be done. Necropsy one of the birds and find out what she brought onto her land. Make sure you wash every fabric of your cloths before you walk back onto your property. Bring a spare set of clothing Take a spare pair of shoes. Do not touch one of your animals until you shower and stick the cloths in the washer. I am sorry this happened to your friend. She is going to feel awful.

Thanks Sally Delisha Smyers and Majic. She will feel awful, she already does. She also has one of my healthy chickens I gave her last week so I'm real curious to see how mine -now hers- does.

I think this sick one should be culled. Ive offered to do it for her. I agree that the whole flock has been exposed a nd it will be a while before she knows the outcome and I agree any that show no symptoms or recover very quick shouldbe kept and the rest culled. She is such a tender person that will be difficult for her and certainly a hard lesson. Of my local chickener buddies this will be the hardest lesson so far. Im glad ive kept my kids out of the coop for some time now (the roosters intimidate them) because they were in her coop Sat. getting eggs. Another plus for roosters I think. So unless the kids were able to somehow infecting -me mine should be okay. If I do go help her I will definitely double make sure Im sterile before I mess with my guys. Ive kept my eyes on them and they all seem healthy...even the two with bare backs are mostly grown back in after just a couple weeks. So another unfortunate experiment. T hanks for the input.

I've got to get DH geared up todo the deed on miss turkey here soon.......the green house is finished. We need to reinforce it somehow but its up. WSill send pics later today if i get to it.
L

 

[Mountain Momma]

THANK YOU!!

nice job on the hunt! Very impressive! Around here a lot of hunters have come back empty. I know one guy got a huge elk but otherwise nothin. Incidently its the same guy that slept on an air mattress to catch the bear in his coop and shot it point blank with a rubber bullet. If you ever saw him you would think he was a computer geek. He has some grit though. Have to laugh at how out of character his actions seem comparatively.

 

[Mountain Momma]

thanks again to AL for that marvelous thread that still makes me giggle when I think about it - but I want to know about rooster-to-rooster, mano-a-mano, and inter-flock behavior that is acceptable.
Where do I find this thread your talking about? I have an OEGB roo that has become unbearable to deal with. I have to put a bucket over him to get in the coop to do anything, he has flogged me 3 different times before I could get him covered up over the last 2 weeks. He's a tiny little prick too

my roosters are buddies. They grew up together though. They work as a team and are both very kind to the flock, a little aggressive toward the boots and successful protectors. I dont know which is top dog, the smaller one is a bit more aggressive on the follow through and the larger one backs off sooner with me. The larger one seems more intelligent and is terrified of our puppy. lol. Good luck. My smaller roo tried that flogging crap and I smacked him on the side of the face with a rubber feed bowl. He has been respectful ever since.
L

 

[Maven]

thanks again to AL for that marvelous thread that still makes me giggle when I think about it - but I want to know about rooster-to-rooster, mano-a-mano, and inter-flock behavior that is acceptable.
Where do I find this thread your talking about? I have an OEGB roo that has become unbearable to deal with. I have to put a bucket over him to get in the coop to do anything, he has flogged me 3 different times before I could get him covered up over the last 2 weeks. He's a tiny little prick too

Here you go!! It's a doozy!!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/573517/got-flogged-by-a-rooster-tonight

 

[Maven]

Quote:

Thank you again, Bruce! Always look forward to your input!