Incubators Anonymous

[Arielle]

Makes me want to start hatching again!!

 

[WinklerFarms]

Makes me want to start hatching again!!

How on earth did you get yourself to stop!?

 

[Arielle]

Well, lets just say I have not put any more eggs in recently and the numbers are dwindling in my incubator.

If you want to stop cold turkey, haha, look at the increase in grain prices!

I woke up feeling sick worrying about feeding everyone.

 

[DMRippy]

I have been free ranging my young roos with my JG Simon's flock. He is Very tolerant, don't know why, he's my best producer. I think he's a good teacher too. I'd try pushing up the protein levels a bit. Isn't it pretty hot up there right now? Maybe some ACV or electrolytes in the water or a couple of very active roos in the pens next to him. Sometimes I thing my guys have a competition going back there, once one gets started----

Nah... the temps are not really high. In the 90's.... 80's this week. He is in the shade too so it is really cooler back there. He needs a teacher, but I can't put another roo in there and I can't put him in a pen with another roo.

The roo in the pen next to him just lost his girls (I sold them

)

 

[Nsampsel]

Nah... the temps are not really high. In the 90's.... 80's this week. He is in the shade too so it is really cooler back there. He needs a teacher, but I can't put another roo in there and I can't put him in a pen with another roo.

The roo in the pen next to him just lost his girls (I sold them

)

I have like 5 roos in my mixed pen & 5 in the Silkie/Si22le pen plus 2 breeding pens with a roo each & 1 roo who can't get along with anyone & is overjealous with just 1 or 2 hens is in isolation in his own cage in the coop. My Silkie boys weren't quite sure what to do with their hens til I tossed the Si22le roo from Michelle in with them. Once they watched him a few times they started trying too. My younger roos in the big pen keep watching my big Welmar roo & then trying too.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: I could put him in with my Reg BR roo, but I would have to supervise them. I only have the one roo, so I can't afford to lose him in a fight.

 

[Nsampsel]

I could put him in with my Reg BR roo, but I would have to supervise them. I only have the one roo, so I can't afford to lose him in a fight.

My boys rarely squabble (with the exception of the bad boy in isolation). I've never seen a squabble between roos in my Silkie coop at all (hens will smack a roo around on occasion tho...LOL). My big coop, Wally the Welmar set down the ground rules when he was 1st turned loose in that pen. He had spent about a week inside the run in a breeding pen with his girl Mary befre I turned them loose in the pen so everyone was used to seeing him. The only fight was between him & Bad Boy Walter. Since I already knew Walter was the issue as he had done this before, Walter was the one who got grabbed & stuffed back in his isolation cage.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: That has not been my experience. I had to get rid of my WL roo because he lost a eye in a fight. Thought he was dead. Nearly lost a NH roo to a fight with my EE. BOTH tore through the plastic fence. My EE roo got in a fight with my BW Am. Now, none of these grew up together so that may have been part of the problem. My GSBR roo is HUGE, but young, younger than my BR roo. Now my BR is not aggressive.... at least he was not with the young guineas. I might give it a try if I can be close in case something happens.

 

[ki4got]

I could put him in with my Reg BR roo, but I would have to supervise them. I only have the one roo, so I can't afford to lose him in a fight.

actually, i'd put an older 'experienced' roo in HIS pen. don't put him in strange quarters because he won't be watching, he'll be running. but an experienced roo won't try to fight the 'head' guy, he'll be going after the girls. (priorities you know).

 

[Nsampsel]

actually, i'd put an older 'experienced' roo in HIS pen. don't put him in strange quarters because he won't be watching, he'll be running. but an experienced roo won't try to fight the 'head' guy, he'll be going after the girls. (priorities you know).

That could be why I have had so few problems. The new roos always get added to the established pen. They tend to go after the hens 1st & deal with the other roos later. Since most of my boys are fairly young (only maybe 3 over a year old) they just kinda give way to any roo who is more dominant (older). That 1 roo has really been the only trouble maker...and what is funny is that he is less than 1/2 the si2e of the Welmar roo & STILL tried to take him on!!! My daughter grabbed the stick we keep handy for chasing hens out from under the coop when we need to catch them & pinned the 2 squabbling roos with it while she grabbed the banty's legs & tossed him back in his cage. She's getting really good at chicken herding.