Hector's World: Adventures and Mayhem at Mountain View Poultry (or Sequel to The Evolution of Atlas

[speckledhen]

I don't think there are many breeders that would turn that Jane away

I agree! I love her shape. Funny thing about Jane-she walks around grumbling just like Hector. It's uncanny how much she sounds like him, LOL.

Tell Hector that Cheryl says he better accept those gals, and behave himself, or I'll come swat his butt. LOL! I need to see pictures of a good SOP flock, without the dwarf gene, so he'd better step up to the plate, and get results.

I'll let him know. He's going to be on my last nerve if he mistreats those two new girls. He needs that butt swatted at least once a day for this silly antics. Yesterday, his girls were way down below what we call the graveyard, where some special chickens are buried like Suede and Isaac. I called Hector back up the hill and after hesitating because his hens didn't want to move from their foraging spot next to the perimeter fence, he turned and started running full tilt toward me, head down, in his "attack mode", like he was going to plow right into me. I said, "Hector, quit that. Where are your girls, buddy?". He stopped, stood up, looked back down the hill and began walking back down to get them. He wants to do what I say and come with me, but when the hens don't follow, he is very hesitant to leave them, which I consider being a good rooster. And he can count, I swear! Tom had to go down with a length of PVC we use as a pole and heard them up the hill for him. Then, he and the three girls hoofed straight to the barn.

I rarely have any trouble with Hector at least trying to take them home when I tell him to, though they don't always fully cooperate. The Belgian D'Anver roosters, on the other hand, are really getting on Tom's last nerve. He said a couple of days ago that the next time he tries to herd Spike and Aubrey back to the barn, he'll use a .22. Dumbest roosters ever hatched.

 

[getaclue]

I know hens don't always cooperate. When I go out to my coop(s), the hens follow me around, and don't pay any attention to their rooster. I rotate the runs on a couple groups of them, so when I try to get them back into their coop area, for the other group to use the run, the rooster really tries to get them rounded up, and into the coop, but the hens try to stay out in the run with me. Some of the expressions of frustration, are comical. I swear there are times my oldest rooster shrugs his shoulders, and gives up.

 

[speckledhen]

I turned Maddie and Jane out with Hector, Jill and Thea. What made me do it today, on their 17 week hatch-day was an accidental encounter they had with Bash, my blue Partridge Brahma rooster. Yeah, that happened.

Tom and I were doing morning pen cleanup when he yelled, "No, don't go out there!". Maddie and Jane had pushed open their pen door while his back was turned and ran out the big door. Bash and his hens were out free. Bash saw them, ran hell-bent-for-leather after them. Before we could get there, Jane squatted for him and he mated her! What the heck? She is very red in the face and her comb and wattles are looking very mature already, but why big old Bash? Well, those two were raised with a big bunch of Brahma youngsters so maybe they have a thing for the feathered legs!

So, once Bash was put away, I let Hector out and introduced them to dad. He flirted and tried to grab Jane, who skipped away from him skillfully. But, I let them out on range and they all went out, with the hens staying together and the young ladies staying together, with Hector standing tall watching over them, not hassling the girls at all. He did hang around the pen until I realized he was looking for Zara. I had taken her out before I let him go, thinking she'd give the two youngsters more hassle than the other two hens would, but I finally let her out with them and he settled down. He knew she was missing, as he always does. But, once he and his daughters are really together, Zara is going to go back with Georgie's group where her sister, Athena, is living. And then, I'll have at least three breed-able girls with Hector, no dwarf gene in sight. I'll leave Thea even with her wry tail and just make sure not to get any of her eggs when I gather them for hatching.

 

[getaclue]

I'm so happy for you! Now you can commence breeding, and keep your line up. YAY!

 

[speckledhen]

And, once again, Hector is being a goober-head and this time, it really hurt him. I was on my way outside when I saw him fighting at the fence with my tiny Belgian D'Anver rooster, Spike. I yelled as I was going down the steps, but of course, he doesn't listen when his adrenaline is spiking. Then, I saw him jump back and start shaking his head, then scratching at his face. Then, as I got closer, I saw blood. I was so afraid he'd broken his beak. He ran from me, being hurt and confused, I guess, all the way to the perimeter fence and into some tall weeds. Tom fished him out. His beak is cracked and I think he hurt his tongue because he has blood in his mouth. So, goober-head has lost his free range privileges for awhile. I just hope that his beak heals and doesn't break off or he's in deep chicken poop.

ACK! ROOSTERS! Atlas does the same exact thing with Spike and also, he goes to Hector's pen in the barn to see if he can get at Hector. I never have this issue with Bash, never. He ignores the little bantams entirely and never tries to fight at the pens with the other roosters. I'm so over rooster drama!

 

[1muttsfan]

Is it cracked lengthwise or across? Top only or both? Dodo...

 

[speckledhen]

Is it cracked lengthwise or across? Top only or both? Dodo...

Across the top only, as far as I can tell. He's not one to hold still, as you know. Dodo is right!

 

[1muttsfan]

I would think something like that would heal with time.

 

[speckledhen]

I would think something like that would heal with time.

I've had others crack beaks and they did heal up, but I have to keep him from doing further damage to it, if I can manage it. This may delay moving his daughters in with him. Any drama in the pen might make him hurt himself more. I think he scraped his tongue on the fence, which is what is hurting the most. He keeps acting like he's trying to stick it out. I looked at it, but couldn't tell much.

Meanwhile, in other insanity, Betsy's crop is still not fixed and now is souring. Maretta, my 7 yr old EE, was in a hard molt and her crop did the same thing. I'm so tired of issues right now. I have other things to do outside and with my quilts and I can't be spending every waking moment in the barn or pens. And then, as I mentioned on the other thread, my old Blue Rock is going downhill, though hers is mostly old age. I need a long period of smooth sailing!

 

[1muttsfan]

I certainly don't mean this to sound heartless, but some of your older girls who are in really bad shape are awfully time consuming.