Cream Legbars

[caychris]

I agree with separating cockerels as soon as possible I would also suggest feeding them a higher protein feed than the young pullets for longer. Its good to separate for a variety of reasons. One is that a good roo will let his girls eat their fill then take what he can get. I prefer for my boys to "bulk" up if they can and removing girls from the equation helps a little with this. Without females to initiate the chest thumping so to speak the boys usually get along quite well. Mixing ages is always problematic though regardless of gender.

 

[duluthralphie]

LOL - was just ruminating..I've only had chickens since 2011 -- so I'm a newbie -- but I want my roosters to mind their manners....and living without pullets is one avenue.

Then when they are combined -- they are awkward -- but better behaved IMO. I also only have one male per group -- so things like double teaming don't happen around here. JMO

I am glad that works for you.

I cannot afford to go without at least one back up rooster in each breed I raise. I even screwed up last year by selling my back up right after breeding started, then my primary decided to give up the farm and died on me! Selfish ungrateful rooster!



We are at the worst time of the year now though, the early hatches this spring/past winter are teens and feeling their oats. In a month or so the pressure will be off as they get into the summer routine.

One of the things about chicken raising is we all have different goals and plans so what works for one may not work for another.


I still have to figure out what to do to keep Andy Safe and handsome for showing. I hate to lock him up because he is too mellow. I might practice my gunmanship and just blast the belly buttons that are chasing and picking on him. Cornish Creamers on the BBQ this week???

 

[ChicKat]

...........

One of the things about chicken raising is we all have different goals and plans so what works for one may not work for another.


I still have to figure out what to do to keep Andy Safe and handsome for showing. I hate to lock him up because he is too mellow. I might practice my gunmanship and just blast the belly buttons that are chasing and picking on him. Cornish Creamers on the BBQ this week???

Agreed. It is a bit like a camera or a computer -- someone asks 'what computer should I buy' -- and you need to find out what their intended use is before you can give any sane recommendation IMO.

I guess for those of us who don't know Andy you need to post a photo

 

[duluthralphie]

Agreed. It is a bit like a camera or a computer -- someone asks 'what computer should I buy' -- and you need to find out what their intended use is before you can give any sane recommendation IMO.

I guess for those of us who don't know Andy you need to post a photo

I have a baby photo of him..

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Quote:
I love this photo.

(Oh, and I finally read your sig line - hysterical... You and your anti-waterfowl tendencies!!!!!

)

- Ant Farm

 

[ChicKat]

I have a baby photo of him..

Oh so cute!! Your Avatar...and your show bird. Good luck with all the poultry events......He is a winner!

 

[duluthralphie]

Oh so cute!! Your Avatar...and your show bird. Good luck with all the poultry events......He is a winner!

LOL I forgot he was my avatar, I change to more often than my undies...

 

[ChicKat]

LOL I forgot he was my avatar, I change to more often than my undies...

Trouble with Avatars is the pictures are so small

 

[duluthralphie]

Trouble with Avatars is the pictures are so small

That's true and a large Andy is way better than a small one.

I handled Andy a lot as a chick, I had no idea he would look so good as an adult. Do you think that could have anything to do with his being so meek to the other roosters? Or is he just more mature and adult like?

 

[ChicKat]

That's true and a large Andy is way better than a small one.

I handled Andy a lot as a chick, I had no idea he would look so good as an adult. Do you think that could have anything to do with his being so meek to the other roosters? Or is he just more mature and adult like?

Seems that for the most part the personalities can be all over the map.

for my part, I have eliminated 3 based on aggression alone. Two are here that only developed overly aggressive behavior upon passing the 2-year mark for the older and passing the 1-year mark for the younger...

Now here is where it gets unusual. Grandson of one that became 'mean' at 2-years old and son of one that was psycho mean -- is mild mannered and the only CL male (except juveniles) that is allowed to pretty much roam the pen with no concern for his temperament -- which would contradict the idea that aggression is totally an inherited trait. He's now about 2-years old.......

Was working on a theory that bad eyesight -- or eyesight deterioration was the root of the 'mean' rooster syndrome....he sees something big moving and he attacks -- which would explain the attack on the feed bucket and on the water bucket -- the most common targets..... They can't see a thing without their glasses....however the one with the nice disposition was blind for awhile this spring when wet pox caused one eye to swell shut and then while he was in sick bay (aka pet carrier) the other eye was swollen shut so he was totally blind for a day or two before his recovery began. Vitamins, eye drops and some iodine on the actual pox brought him through wet pox (I consider it lethal so the two that regained health from wet pox this spring are remarkable for hardiness -- and the one that succumbed due to her airways swelling shut was my best pullet - a shame to loose her)--- Subsequent to that he got in a rooster fight and I think got some damage to his eye -- or got a wire in it -- so my -- " he can't see so he attacks everything that moves near his hens" -- theory is under revision. LOL -- He runs across the yard each time he sees me -- he thinks -- "strawberry hulls, kitchen scraps, tomato pieces" and I'm his best friend.