Freezer Camp arrived.

[thedeacon]

Flock Management

Last spring I ordered 15 different breeds of roo's and 10 of poulets. Received a total of 28 from MM. I intended to keep 1 roo and the poulets. I decided on keeping the SS roo. The remaining 14 roo's went to freezer camp. Many did not amount to much as some were white layer roo's and they, by breed, are smaller frame and not designed as meat birds. The heavy breeds were of a decent size. I also sent my 1 yr old RIR roo to camp with the younger guys. I really liked him, but he just became to mean. He even started to attack me on a regular basis, and sometimes when my back was turned. I'm hoping the SS roo will be less aggressive.
As an expermint, I would not recommend ordering so many different breeds if intending on keeping only 1 or 2 roo's. My plan was to keep the best looking roo. However, the best looker was a white egg roo, small and skitish, no personallity. Next time I will just pick the 1 or 2 I beleive I want and go with it.
Now I just have to wait for the poulets to start laying, around the end of Aug or Sept, I'm hoping

 

[FaereChicken]

My SS roo went to freezer camp before he was a year old. Kicked me in the kneecap, and it HURT!

 

[Skamaghetten]

This past weekend I saw two of my girls(?) chest bumping and standing tall. I think I might have to sign them up for camp too.

 

[patandchickens]

FaereChicken, remember that it is totally normal for young chickens, yes even hens, to posture and fluff and chest-bump and so forth with each other. It has nothing to do with aggression to humans or getting along poorly with each other. It's just part of working out the pecking order. So, don't be in too big of a hurry

Pat

 

[Whitehouse Quail]

Freezer camp! I never thought of that.

 

[Suziers]

Quote:
I have 5 hens and they all have moments of chest bumping and standing tall. It is a 'pecking order' thing-it doesn't indicate they are a roo.

 

[Skamaghetten]

Thanks all. I was a getting a little down because of what I had witnessed. Up until this point I have seen zero dominance in the 11 week old girls.

 

[Uppity Peon]

Quote:
I'm just curious as to what you were looking for in a rooster?
Did you want him for breeding and throwing cool designer offspring?
Or were you looking for a flock guardian?
Or were you looking for a yard ornament?

I guess they are all valid reasons to me. But the behaviours for roosters are influenced by one another, so if you cull the most aggressive one, you will likely see another one become just as aggressive, and a whole cascade of dominance issues.

P.S. (I kind of enjoy watching them sort out their political affairs too, as long an nobody gets hurt!)

 

[thedeacon]

I was looking for a little bit of everything. Good looks, friendly, guardian, breeder. It was an interesting experiment. Having 15 different breeds of roo's allowed close observation of all. To be honest, the brown leghorn were the first to crow, the most colorful, too flighty, very aggressive. Had they been as content as the SS, I would have kept them.