fuzzi's Chicken Journal

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

Since I am clueless about genetics, can you clarify it for me?

I only know a limited amount myself

Speckled Sussex crossed with Dominiques=barred males and black females?

As long as it is as it is with your's (the Sussex is the rooster) yes. I don't know the genetics of why but it looks like you may able to sex them by leg colour too.

 

[fuzzi]

I only know a limited amount myself


As long as it is as it is with your's (the Sussex is the rooster) yes. I don't know the genetics of why but it looks like you may able to sex them by leg colour too.

That's an intriguing thought. The Sussex have white legs, the Dominiques have yellow...

 

[fuzzi]

Why do they look pink to me?

Today's eggs...tan?

 

[NagemTX]

View attachment 3646259
Today's eggs...tan?

Lol, yeah. I think it may have been the yellow background on the other picture that made them look pink.

 

[NanaK]

Would appear so.
View attachment 3646181

Thank you. That is what I was thinking but wasn't not 100% sure.

Maybe I'm not as loony as I thought!

 

[fuzzi]

Thank you. That is what I was thinking but wasn't not 100% sure.

Maybe I'm not as loony as I thought!

Maybe...

 

[fuzzi]

Joel pecked me hard today!

My dh and I are going out of town for a few days of vacation, so I'm training my brother to do the chicken chores. Yesterday I walked him through basic water, food, and egg tasks. Today I shadowed my brother, standing in the run, watching him do the chores on his own.

Suddenly there was a sharp pain in my calf, and I yelped in surprise. I turned and Joel was standing there. He used to do small pecks before, a couple months ago, but not recently. This one drew blood.

I suspect the presence of a stranger may have triggered the attack, and my inattentiveness certainly didn't help. He's 7 months old now, too.

What do you think?

 

[NagemTX]

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Joel pecked me hard today!

My dh and I are going out of town for a few days of vacation, so I'm training my brother to do the chicken chores. Yesterday I walked him through basic water, food, and egg tasks. Today I shadowed my brother, standing in the run, watching him do the chores on his own.

Suddenly there was a sharp pain in my calf, and I yelped in surprise. I turned and Joel was standing there. He used to do small pecks before, a couple months ago, but not recently. This one drew blood.

I suspect the presence of a stranger may have triggered the attack, and my inattentiveness certainly didn't help. He's 7 months old now, too.

What do you think?

Do you dole out treats or food if he pecks you?

Most of the time, I "ignore" my roosters when I'm doing chores, feeding, etc.
I don't give out treats when I enter the coops, I wait until everyone settles down for just a few minutes. Roosters move off / away from me - not in fear, just move away. I don't hand feed roosters at all. I'm not part of the flock, so they have no reason to approach me.

Everyone does things a bit differently. Some folks have roosters that are just pure pets and they have no problems.

Hopefully others will chime in with their thoughts. I just learned the hard way not to get too friendly with the roosters, especially when they are young.

 

[NanaK]

I've raised cockerels handling them, feeding them and they were pets. I never had a problem with them.

I raised a few with much less interaction from me. A couple were fine and most rehomed by 4-6 months to free range flocks. I don't know how most of these turned out. A few were sent to my MIL for chicken pastry. Those I would not rehome.

I have one now, Amos, that is aggressive particularly to my husband. He gave me a peck on the leg one day. I picked up a nearby hoe and slammed it on a table and he ran away from me. We moved Amos to a bachelor pad because hubby was worried he'd attack me. I take care of his feed and water before I let him out of his coop.
I can't enjoy my flock and watch my back.
Unfortunately Amos' days are numbered. Shame as he is such a beautiful Blue Laced Silver Wyandotte. I want to breed him at least once. Don't know if that will happen now.

All of this to say, they are animals. You can't predict behavior. Some people will give advice to try to change bad behavior. So far I have not been able to do that.

Joel may never peck you again but he very well could get worse. Just be careful and keep an eye on him.

I'm sorry he pecked you. I do hope you and hubby have a wonderful trip. The weather is so nice now.