Cross-breeding for egg production

[Cammo77]

We have wild jungle fowl hanging out around the fenced coop, ready to take over my flock here.

My huge rooster has had his a** handed to him by these wild males, half his size. The big guy is now getting aggressive with my hens. Not liking it.

I’m afraid his half wild offspring won’t learn proper manners with my flock full of grumpy (but sweet to me) RIR’s. He has one half-wild cockerel right now, and I found a wild flock on private property he can socialize and spar with. Sending any other half-wild roosters we hatch over to that flock for schooling, too, if I can.

Might be the stress of the other rooster trying to steal his flock causing him to act poorly? Wild flocks only have one dominant rooster. If you send young cockerals there they'd either get driven out or killed as they mature....unless they're stronger then the dominant rooster and take over the flock.

 

[Jessgitalong]

That’s a very good point you make. Absolutely correct. We’ll have to take him when the transition from cockerel bachelor to contender begins. By how fast he’s developing already, we expect him to mature and attempt dominion sooner than the wild ones. I just want him to get some experience sparring with his peers before the hormones overtake his respect for his elders.

 

[Jessgitalong]

Might be the stress of the other rooster trying to steal his flock causing him to act poorly? Wild flocks only have one dominant rooster. If you send young cockerals there they'd either get driven out or killed as they mature....unless they're stronger then the dominant rooster and take over

He’s dealt with that his entire life. I think it may be because the flock has started to age out and he’s down to 8 hens out of 12. He’s so dang huge, it’s rough on the girls and they’re hesitant to allow him to mount.

 

[Cammo77]

He’s dealt with that his entire life. I think it may be because the flock has started to age out and he’s down to 8 hens out of 12. He’s so dang huge, it’s rough on the girls and they’re hesitant to allow him to mount.

Is your big rooster a RIR as well? Are you going to use a younger cockeral that's half wild game instead of your big one or will he live out his days with your flock?

 

[Jessgitalong]

My rooster is half RIR. We sent a cockerel over to friend’s flock and later got a few of their eggs. When we hatched them, we found out that we had a Norway rat that ate chicks. He was the lone survivor and a sex link. Figured out that he came from their Barred Plymouth Rock.

 

[Cammo77]

My rooster is half RIR. We sent a cockerel over to friend’s flock and later got a few of their eggs. When we hatched them, we found out that we had a Norway rat that ate chicks. He was the lone survivor and a sex link. Figured out that he came from their Barred Plymouth Rock.View attachment 4089631

Good looking boy