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

[speckledhen]

He really is a handsome boy. And he knows it too, he has a very confident look lol.

The girls are gorgeous too. I see other people's pictures of hatchery/feed store BR and the look and barring of yours in comparison is amazing.

Thanks. Yes, Hector thinks he's "all that", such a pistol. The darker pullets will sharpen up their barring later on. Drea is like the Stukels, lighter barred, very sharply barred. The only thing about the Hector pullets is that one is so small. Maybe she'll catch up later. But, I'm selling her with the one I believe to be the Stukel male as a pair. Even if I'm wrong and he's a Hector son, there is no dwarf gene present, not that I'm aware of, in Hector's line so that's good, too. I'm not keeping either male anyway. Since there were only two Stukel eggs in that batch and Drea has to be a Stukel, I'd say one of the cockerels must be. I can't believe I'd get pullet from both Dru and Wynette.

 

[speckledhen]

Maybe I gave Hector his own thread too soon. Tom went out to lock up the barn and check everyone a few minutes ago. He came back with blood running down the back of his hand. When I asked him who did that, he said that Hector did. He was bending over to pick up something on the floor in Hector's pen and Hector hauled off and bit him hard. First, he reacted by knocking him aside, then scooped him up and shook his beak, but he got him right on that big vein that runs down the back of your hand so it bled a lot.
@1muttsfan, not sure what to to about this now. I have two cockerels, but I'm not 100% sure which one belongs to Hector even if I wanted to keep one. I don't want one out of Atlas, unless I just give in and let that go and hope he has not inherited the dwarf gene. Sigh.

I have the pair for sale, the small Hector daughter and the one I believe to be a Stukel male. I could keep the other male with the two pullets I plan to keep and hope I'm right, that he is Hector's son, not Atlas's. Atlas produces the most easygoing sons and I love their looks, but that dwarf gene is lurking. Hector's days here may be numbered. Tom is not happy about this, not at all, and I don't blame him. Though Hector has never flogged anyone, he should be well over this biting thing by now, has not done it in ages and ages.

I could sell Hector and grow these chicks out longer, not try to sell either of them, and maybe I'll be more able to be certain of which is a Stukel and which is a Hector son as they mature and show more family resemblance. Or just sell what I can sell. I dunno.

 

[1muttsfan]

Maybe do a hatch with only eggs from Hector's pen. Then the genetics would be clear, and you could pick a nice cockerel. Hector is young and handsome, and could easily find a home where he could be the main man without needing to be a lap bird. Your birds need to be docile pets, not feisty independent types.

 

[speckledhen]

Maybe do a hatch with only eggs from Hector's pen. Then the genetics would be clear, and you could pick a nice cockerel. Hector is young and handsome, and could easily find a home where he could be the main man without needing to be a lap bird. Your birds need to be docile pets, not feisty independent types.

Maybe with another broody, I could give her only Jill's eggs. Ro has not started laying again and her eggs were not the best for putting under a broody hen. Thea, well, with her wry tail, she's not going to be reproduced, but gee, she is so super sweet, we both adore Thea. At least, then I'd be sure that whatever hatched was out of Hector.
This morning, Hector was a big baby, asking for petting and when I stopped, he got up closer to me. He gets up on the roost when I do pen clean up in the a.m. and stays there until I pet him, one hand running down his back and one rubbing his chest. Tom can do the same thing, and he never flogs, but this biting really torqued my husband. He said his skin is so thin, he can't have some rooster gouging it or his arms will be black and blue like his dad's always were.

We put so much time and energy into Hector, I hate to have to rehome him, but if he insists on being a butthead, he will find himself elsewhere.

 

[speckledhen]

The download of the StealthCam by the driveway caught this intruder. Could not have taken a better picture if I'd been trying my best!

 

[1muttsfan]

My gosh he looks gorgeous

 

[speckledhen]

I know! He's a hunk of manly stud-muffin rooster, isn't he? Now, if he could just control his "stupid-urges" and channel his boundless energy for good! Hector, my man, please act as gorgeous as you look!

Tom said that in that photo, he looks as regal as Isaac, quite the compliment!

AVATAR MATERIAL!

 

[cacknballs]

cool bird.

i have a couple of cocks i'ma have to get rid of and i sure don't want to.

 

[speckledhen]

cool bird.

i have a couple of cocks i'ma have to get rid of and i sure don't want to.

Thanks, I have some kids of his I'd love to keep, but no room. I will keep one pullet to add to his pen, but that's all.

 

[kitkat5505]

Great picture! I hope he's behaving better now