Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[tnspursfan09]

Hi, Arielle!

 

[3riverschick]

Are your leghorns flighty? I know dragonlady's Buff Orpingtons are great for children,
She even has a great pic of one of the kids sitting on a bench holding a lovely Buff Orpington.
Plus her birds are both heritage and very well bred to the Standard.
Best,
Karen

 

[tnspursfan09]

Are your leghorns flighty? I know dragonlady's Buff Orpingtons are great for children,
She even has a great pic of one of the kids sitting on a bench holding a lovely Buff Orpington.
Plus her birds are both heritage and very well bred to the Standard.
 Best,
 Karen

The leghorns are...um...challanging. Diego tried to spur me once and I remembered something I had read here on byc and I began walking towards him fast and I didn't give him time to start another launch, just kept walking at him until he gave up and walked away. I never make sudden movements around him if he seems to be on alert and I give him treats first. Also, if I'm introducing something new to his environment, like my new gorilla wagon I do so slowly. He's so good with the hens and so watchful that I've now had him for almost 2 years. He's the alpha. My BO is calm and good with the chicks. They follow him and pull on his wattles and he just tolerates it stoically. He's hard on the hens, though - but only because he's young and I don't have a big enough hen to rooster ratio. (See how much I've learned from byc?)

 

[saladin]

Meanest chicken on the planet (people-wise) was and is a Leghorn. No changing that fact. It hasn't been bred out of them in the last 200 years. I doubt if you are going to be able to do it either. That is not to say that they are all manfighters; instead, I'm just saying it's a breed characteristic that is going to come up time and time again. Why? because Leghorns are nothing more or less than Games that went cold/dunghills years ago and then were selected along the lines of egg production. With Games, manfighters are culled. This has not taken place in Leghorn selection.

 

[neopolitancrazy]

I have a Australorp rooster that I love, he's not aggressive, doesn't over mate but when he dose mate since he's huge/heavy weight he's cutting off girls back feathers with his feet and he's not making the girls bald backs but cutting the feathers in half he keeps putting his feet on there back and not there wings when mating, FFS.. It's like he's giving the girls a haircut on there backs. Any help? Or get a new rooster? He's makes a good breeding cock but can't show half the girls since he gave them a haircut on there back with his T-Rex legs.

My understanding is that bare backed hens result from a combination of excess wear and tear on the feathers (amorous, over-achieving cock) and poor quality, weak feathers. Problem #1 is solved by limiting the cock's time with his hens and/or chicken saddles. Problem #2 is solved by breeding for stronger, better quality feathers.
Best wishes,
Angela

 

[Bluetick340]

Marking new thread

 

[tnspursfan09]

Meanest chicken on the planet (people-wise) was and is a Leghorn. No changing that fact. It hasn't been bred out of them in the last 200 years. I doubt if you are going to be able to do it either. That is not to say that they are all manfighters; instead, I'm just saying it's a breed characteristic that is going to come up time and time again. Why? because Leghorns are nothing more or less than Games that went cold/dunghills years ago and then were selected along the lines of egg production. With Games, manfighters are culled. This has not taken place in Leghorn selection.

I believe you. This rooster and his attitude are the very reason I'm raising a flock of chickens in the first place. My husband and daughter got it in their heads that they were going to raise chickens for eggs and meat. Thick as thieves, those two - and always into something. I had no interest. Leave me alone to play in my garden. Long story short...the LH grew up and it got so bad they would throw the feed over the gate to the chickens because he wouldn't let the in the run. They gave up and somehow, in their strange logic the chickens became my responsibility because, technically they were close enough to be part of my garden -and off they went to the next adventure. The chickens all free range now and this mean LH and I have no choice but to occupy the same space. He patrols the yard almost like a dog. A doberman, maybe. He doesn't try to flog me, but I am careful around him. He won't take a treat when I have gloves on so I take them off. He doesn't like it if I use the big silver bucket. I have a white bucket now. I can work in my garden and he will keep his eye on me but will also run over with the hens if I turn over a big rock. I have three roosters. He is definately the alpha, but no one has fought yet.

Okay. I've hijacked this enough.

 

[hellbender]

I believe you. This rooster and his attitude are the very reason I'm raising a flock of chickens in the first place. My husband and daughter got it in their heads that they were going to raise chickens for eggs and meat. Thick as thieves, those two - and always into something. I had no interest. Leave me alone to play in my garden. Long story short...the LH grew up and it got so bad they would throw the feed over the gate to the chickens because he wouldn't let the in the run. They gave up and somehow, in their strange logic the chickens became my responsibility because, technically they were close enough to be part of my garden -and off they went to the next adventure. The chickens all free range now and this mean LH and I have no choice but to occupy the same space. He patrols the yard almost like a dog. A doberman, maybe. He doesn't try to flog me, but I am careful around him. He won't take a treat when I have gloves on so I take them off. He doesn't like it if I use the big silver bucket. I have a white bucket now. I can work in my garden and he will keep his eye on me but will also run over with the hens if I turn over a big rock. I have three roosters. He is definately the alpha, but no one has fought yet.

Okay. I've hijacked this enough.

It's known by some of the folks on this thread that I tolerate hateful cocks in my production line, especially if they are out of a particular strain. I make this choice and have no fear of any chicken.

I'm baffled that you would tolerate such an untenable situation, especially with any number of potentially lethal gardening tools at your disposal. Use one of them.

 

[tnspursfan09]

[/quote]

It's known by some of the folks on this thread that I tolerate hateful cocks in my production line, especially if they are out of a particular strain.  I make this choice and have no fear of any chicken.

I'm baffled that you would tolerate such an untenable situation, especially with any number of potentially lethal gardening tools at your disposal.   Use one of them.

Why would I be afraid of him? He's a chicken...he weighs what? About 6 lbs? And I weigh...well, never mind about that. Now people are scary - and slugs, slugs are creeeepy.

 

[3riverschick]

That's sad that rooster ruined your family's poultry experience. Get rid of that stupid rooster. I had one once. He was mean and had to go in the coop when I was in the run and vice versa. Never again, Get some nice docile Orpingtons or Australops from someone on this thread. Or maybe some silkies. They make great pets. Its ok to rehome birds or a flock which isn't working for you. I've done it a bunch of times and it is such a relief to start again with something closer to what you want.
Best,
Karen