Dominique Thread!

[duluthralphie]

I guess I feel that the flock has their pecking order but people are far above all that.

That was my whole point of that long dissertation. When a person makes a friend or too friendly of a pet it allows the rooster to think you are just one of them and can be challenged.

The job of culling never gets easy. The PVC cutter and a homemade killing cone help though. I hate killing anything, but it has to be done. We have to kill something to eat. Whether it is a carrot or a chicken. I find thanking God for the animal and the animal for providing food for my family helps.

 

[centrarchid]

My approach is to not be part of the pecking order, not even the top. Many chickens I do interact with in big way, but care is taken to not reward aggression or insight it.

 

[Sylvester017]

I understand that. However, having grown up with animals as a farm kid, I have found there are some male animals that you cannot ever trust.

I will not have a rooster or turkey Tom hurting one of my grandkids or anyone else. I have taken roosters and picked them up when they attack and held them bending their heads over and forcing them to submit to me for lengthy periods of time.

I have tried every technique in the book as @centrarchid said, nothing works for long. They seem to always revert. The best thing you can do is remove their heads, and eat them allowing another bird with a better temperament to rise to the top.

The sad thing is so much of the bad behavior is caused by well meaning uninformed people that think they can make a pet out of any animal. While you can, to a degree, they are animals. They are not pack animals like dogs that want to be subservient.

If you do not try to hold and cuddle the males they will not lose their fear of humans and will never attack. Now some have a stronger will to lead and be alpha than others. They will always be one to be wary of.

We hear of people being mauled by their "pet" lion, tiger, bear or whatever else on a fairly regular basis. These animals have lost their fear of people.

So many people also think you can just be nice or reason with an animal. You cannot not. Look at there own pecking order. It is determined by sheer will power and brute force. You need to imitate that to a center degree. I am not talking about being cruel to the animal. I am talking about showing them you are the alpha.

How do you teach a resistant dog you are alpha? The best way is the grab them and force them to the ground holding their neck then put your mouth near there ear so then smell your breath and growl at them. Hold them for a couple minutes and let their pea brains realize you could kill them and you are their better.

The same thing needs to be done with rooster or toms, kind of. Birds are harder than dogs to control. They are not the pack animal a dog is. They have not been bred for 100,000 years to be part of the human pack. When you allow a young bird to imprint on you, and you cuddle them you are telling them you are weaker than they are. How often do you see two roosters cuddling? How often do you see a rooster cuddling a hen before or after sex?

It is a society where the strong take what they want. Hens are naturally subservient. They make easy pets. The roosters are not. They are born with the instinct to be tough, strong and take what they want. If they were not born with these instincts do you think they would run towards a predatory when a hen screams? (they are also not very bright).

I was with my 4 month old chicks the other day. These are birds destined to be show birds. I will keep 2 maybe three roosters the rest will become freezer residents. I picked up a pullet, I was checking them all for defects. I sit in a chair with treats in a dish between my feet on the floor.

When I want a bird I simply reach down and grab it. This one pullet screamed when i grabbed her. I had a couple of these little roosters puff up and come running at me with their chests out. While this is admirable behavior, do they really think they can defeat me?

It is a fine line between handling them enough to make them a good show bird and them losing their fear of humans. Most people do not even realize there is a line.

So as black as that humor was, with the PVC cutter, there is a truth to it. The bad ones must be culled. I have many good roosters. They are not birds I hold a lot, or ever other than for medical or inspections. The 4 month old chicks have a babysiter. He is a 5 year old PC rooster. He is a great bird. he defends the hens, he protects chicks and has never hurt one in his life. I have seen him being "mother" to my meat chicks. He protects them from harm. He is low on the pecking order of roosters. He would never attack a person. He has the attitude I want to see continue in my flock.

He gets to breed, even though he is so non-aggressive he does not breed enough.

I have went on and on enough. Culling is an important tool of any flock owner. Whether the flock is hundreds of birds or 6.

Voice of experience, you've explained it well and I agree since I came from farm life too -- but you've still got a silly sense of humor LOL! I'm not zoned for roos in our current neighborhood but acquired a couple in error -- they were nice (a Breda, and a Silkie) but I still had to rehome them -- but it was easy because they were beautiful males with nice temperaments. Love all my hens -- friendly outgoing backyard pets (Breda, Dominique, Silkie) but they are naturally docile-like breeds and know humans are the "boss".

 

[centrarchid]

It is official. I can not reliably sex based on down coloration.

 

[duluthralphie]

View attachment 1343257 It is official. I can not reliably sex based on down coloration.

Wow. I have never seen a DOM chick like that. Amazing.

 

[centrarchid]

My strain known to produce white Dominiques.

 

[duluthralphie]

Oh cool.

 

[JDN]

Enough about the PVC cutter but I think I’ll try it next time I have to go there.

This one definitely isn’t fearful or aggressive (though I believe it’s a hen.)

 

[centrarchid]

I wonder if some hatchery strains selected for ease of sexing.

 

[duluthralphie]

View attachment 1343315 Enough about the PVC cutter but I think I’ll try it next time I have to go there.

This one definitely isn’t fearful or aggressive (though I believe it’s a hen.)

Where is the tail?