Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

How was everyone's weekend? Today was my mother's birthday. I don't have any new chicken photos. I haven't gotten to them lately but here's an old photo from the summer because I miss summer and the warm weather. With daylight savings time and the weather getting colder, I guess I'm just going to have to wait.
View attachment 4244233

Awesome photo!

 

[Ponypoor]

Shehnai has been pursuing and "playing" with his sisters. He only jumped one once while I was out there, he seems to be mostly respecting what they want. Twice I've seen him approach and stand near a pullet so that his shoulder is next to her back half. She objected and moved away. He's not doing footwork like a dance, but the general positioning sort of looks like the beginnings (maybe).

They are 22 weeks old today.

Oh also I changed the position of the back walker and board, to 90 degrees from where it is now.

It looks like he's trying to get them to come off the perches.

Notice how he leads one to follow and then doubles back!

That second video looks more like ‘play’ behaviour; if you had other cockerels he would be sparring with them and rough housing about.

Of course his sister tell him buzz off we don’t want to play.

It could be the same in video one; these boys get all randy and play rough.

He’s a beauty, of that I am 100% sure.

 

[Ponypoor]

I need to explore Roovolution in preparation for a grown Mr. Chips. The poor guy is decidedly hen pecked at the moment.
It is hard to get alone time with him to build trust - but when I have a crowd of big ladies all mobbing me for treats he has learned to come to the back of the crowd just beside me and slightly back so I can slip him a few treats. He clearly knows I do that for him so that feels like a very small start.
Here he is wishing you all a happy Monday.
View attachment 4244659

Awww such a sweetie pie, soon he’ll be a randy little brat - but he’ll be a gorgeous spotty randy brat!

 

[Ponypoor]

I need some Noirans in my tribe!

Black Copper Marans then in that case as that is what they are basically.

Rebecca can speak to their temperaments, she speaks highly of them.

 

[Ponypoor]

I will call my breeder today, and ask about the Noirans. It’s kinda funny that I get most of my chicks from Fresno, even the girlfriend

Noirans are a hybrid fro Hendrix Genetics

https://layinghens.hendrix-genetics.com/en/contact-us/Distributors/

Not to be confused with any other Hendrix’s

Noirans info

https://layinghens.hendrix-genetics.com/en/our-brands/special-layer-breeds/noirans/

 

[rural mouse]

Hmmm. Good question. Possibly Geronimo - but not obviously any of them. To me it feels like they have only just started to figure out the pecking order within the Littles group just now. Cookie goes around challenging everyone and so does Nutmeg.

You've also got the different dynamic of broody raised vs human raised. Behavior does vary...sometimes greatly, as does WHEN chicks do something.

 

[featherhead007]

Black Copper Marans then in that case as that is what they are basically.

Rebecca can speak to their temperaments, she speaks highly of them.

And I speak highly of Becky’s temperament too.

 

[SimpleJenn]

Marans get the nickname "mareanies" because they tend to boss others around. Mine haven't seemed that mean? Top of the pecking order for sure but they don't like, chase the others for no reason. They aren't super friendly but they will crowd the fence for treats.
Honestly, the majesty marans (barred rock marans cross) are SO soft. Shep, and now Squatch, have the feather shred gene and it makes their feathers kitten-soft. I can usually get a quick pet in when I shine the light at night for Squatch to go to bed, it's our little bedtime ritual.

 

[SimpleJenn]

The roosters are handsome too. Cowspots is definitely growing into a fine young fella.

 

[Candiru09]

Check out the Roovolution web site, podcasts and especially their Facebook group called Rooster Allies. They have a bunch of text and video guides about roosters and how we can interact with them there.

The Roovolution philosophy is to be a helpful ally to your rooster in his duties, not to try to replace him as flock protector. Not to be another rooster competing with him or vying for dominance every time you visit the coop. It's a different approach that takes you out of the dominance equation and builds trust instead.

So the phrase taming him is not one they use because they see it differently - it's more like understanding and working with his natural impulses - so that he feels no reason to be aggressive with you or other humans who visit, though children should not interact with him or should be totally, closely supervised. They are so small, and they themselves can be unpredictable.

Is it @SimpleJenn that has children and successfully had them coexisting with the rooster as he came into his hormones?

Your rooster is very young and in time should settle down but he's bound to be a little wild right now because he's dealing with the crazy hormones. They say it's the rare rooster that can't settle down eventually, but every one is built a little differently. This is the time to build trust with him, for him to learn you aren't a danger or potential competition for him or his ladies.

I tried dominance with the hen Diane Ida-Biter, who seems to want to dominate like a rooster, and that turned out to not help at all. Now I'm trying the trust building / non-reaction to her provocations and it's working better. Her fear-based aggression and thing about hands near her is not improved long term by any dominance measures I've tried (holding, pinning, keeping a stick handy to ward her off, etc.). They all are seen by a chicken as aggressive responses to them and failed to stop her aggression beyond a few hours.

Other chickens (Tedi usually) can get her to knock it off with some vocal sounds and body language, and Hazel (and Popcorn when she was alive) did correct her aggressively, but that's a chicken-world thing that apparently really doesn't work when humans do it, according to the Roovolution folks, and in my limited experience.

Just yesterday I was trying to adjust some bricks on the run construction edge and Diane came over all upset again about my hands, whining at me and looking to attack and bite. I had to remove my hands and talk calmly to her, let her walk away some, then try the bricks again. She's calmed down a noticeable amount in the few months I've been doing this new Roovolution non-reactive approach. A couple of these interactions, and then Tedi helpfully came over and peeped at her and she left. I wish I knew what she said!

Very interesting! That approach makes a lot of sense. I'll definitely try that.
Right now he still hasn't shown any aggression towards me and sometimes (very rarely) he'll eat out of my hand.