Dumb Question, New to Chickens

[n8ivetxn]

I have my boys penned up, too. So the girls can grow their feathers back....from now on, they just get visitations, not everyday. I'm tired of the gang rapes.... The whole group is about 1 year old and the girls are loyal to the guys, they go over and rest outside of the bachelor pads and keep them company. - I've actually seen a couple of them squat for the roos, even though they're separated by the fence.....

 

[JLeigh]

I have my boys penned up, too. So the girls can grow their feathers back....from now on, they just get visitations, not everyday. I'm tired of the gang rapes.... The whole group is about 1 year old and the girls are loyal to the guys, they go over and rest outside of the bachelor pads and keep them company. - I've actually seen a couple of them squat for the roos, even though they're separated by the fence.....

Conjugal visits......I like that idea! Thanks!

 

[n8ivetxn]

It works, for me

Those guys are rough on the girls. I think the FM roo would be fine by himself, but the Ameracauna just runs them down like some cheetah on NatGeo....and then they do the "hand off" to the other roo, absolutely horrible.

 

[ChicKat]

JLeigh--

I got a rooster from a friend who thought that it had killed one of her pullets. And hard feather pulling was part of the equation. I kept him separate for months---and when I handled him etc. he was so docile...I thought that perhaps he had gotten a bad rap. I finally let him run with my hens (by this time he was older, and all my hens were older than he was except one the same age). He was fine until one day he tore into one of mine very viciously. Even after breeding her kind of beat her and stomped on her head...and that is just what I saw. That hen became traumatized. I separated them and he is now rehomed. It is possible, I believe for a rooster to do serious damage to a hen.

That is partly why I was so surprised at the gentleness of the current rooster in use here. Hope he doesn't change his ways. I agree that there are a lot of fish in the sea.

We raise purebred registered cattle and one of the traits we breed for is a docile temperament. It definitely can be done. :O)

 

[ChicKat]

n8ivetxn---

Thanks for your service to our country!! I bet the pacific northwest is a kinder place to raise chickens than TX.

 

[n8ivetxn]

Good point, about temperament - I raise cattle too, and it's definitely a big factor. I'm surprised by the sheer number of owners / chickens that tell horror stories about their animals. It just shouldn't be that way. I'm a novice "chicken wrangler," however, I wish breeders took temperament into consideration more often. Focus on quality of chicks - not quantity....

Just like in cattle, the male is half of your flock! Food for thought - I want the absolute best quality roo I can find, that means his temperament included. I want customers that are clamouring for my chicks because they not only make great eye candy, they're a joy to be around and productive to the household.... (did I say that out loud?

)

As for my service, I love our country... The PNW might be a kinder place for fowl, but it's foul for me! I miss TX...

 

[ChicKat]

Bravo--- more breeders should have your high standards. :O)

 

[n8ivetxn]

I'd really like to work on one variety of one breed, and do it better than anybody else - everyone would want my wonderful roos

- Having said that, I need to have more experience with flock management and SOPs. I keep hoping one of the 3 young ones I have now will grow up to be good flock roosters. Their daddy was very well liked by several breeders...

 

[chicks are me]

ouch... That's why I'm only going to keep hens.

 

[n8ivetxn]

I don't want to scare or discourage anyone from having a roo. I think they're beautiful. And my FM guy always feeds the hens and makes little nests for them (and calls them over, sooo cute!) and he's respectful of all people. I think the aggressor is the Ameracauna, if I got rid of him, the FM roo would be great. He wouldn't have a partner in crime, where the hens are concerned, and he's much easier on them than the Ameracauna. 3 hens actually choose to hang out with him and run to him to get away from the other knucklehead....