INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Well, my inner crazy chicken lady is busting out now. I made the mistake of looking up those Rangi baby pictures and now I'm deep in chick fever and there's no cure other than getting chicks. 33 days until my 'cure' arrives. Did I mention that I already have them named? I've gone off the deep end, I know.


Wasn't there someone that posted their started garden on here? My mom and I looked into getting starts today, but Lowe's didn't have a great variety just yet and we didn't stop anywhere else. I'm not sure if I want to go from seeds again, although I'm eager to get something growing here! We always have tons and tons of tomatoes no matter how many plants we put down, and then dozens of pepper plants with absolutely no peppers growing on them. I don't care, it's spring! I want a garden!


Now, I'm sure I had something else I wanted to mention, but it has left my brain. Oh, well. Just one of those days!

 

[ChickCrazed]

Me, I guess, although if it means I won't be harassed every time I go out in the chicken yard, I'm good with that.

I have plenty of hens that beg to be held, anyway. I don't need to coddle a rooster for the same effect.

I agree completely that Cochin boys must be the best roosters ever. I read about another Cochin boy who unfortunately died of Marek's disease, but he was such a wonderful guy that he inspired me to try raising roosters again after everything I had experienced with them, and that's how I ended up with my Cochin boy, Po. I read everything I could after ordering him, and a large amount of things I read said, bottom line, roosters are not pets and should not be treated as such. There are so many people saying this whose points of view I respect so much, and my experience has agreed with their statements. And some of them, even though they didn't handle their boys more than they absolutely had to as chicks, ended up with perfectly docile roosters that could be handled without issue as adults anyway! I also do walk through him rather than around him, and I knock him off the girls when he mounts them in my presence, though he just doesn't do that anymore so I must have done something right.

I guess what I'm stuck on is that everything you keep saying about holding them to make them submissive backfired on me with every boy I tried it with. Why would I want to go through that effort if it doesn't work reliably? I suppose I could have been exceptionally unlucky and gotten a whole lot of boys whose personality types simply wouldn't allow for them to be raised this way, but then that doesn't explain why Po has done so well when using the no-handling method. Po is respectful, calm, gentle, and even though I can't handle him a whole lot except for after dark, I don't have to fear him. And in the end, that is what was most important to me when I decided to put a rooster into my flock.


Sorry if I sound like I'm trying to be argumentative, because I really am not. I just want to make sure that my point of view on the topic is out there and not just being brushed off (which was... kind of how it seemed there). I've never written anything here on BYC with the intent of purposefully insulting someone and I definitely don't plan to. I like you guys too much.

I have followed this line of thought with my boys and have NEVER had an issue with the four roosters I have had. None of the boys have been handled much and all are very respectful. I still have to tumble Chewie off the ladies occasionally when I am present, but he is starting to look guilty about it so some of my point is getting across. I stopped handling my Birchen Marans cockerel as soon as it became obvious he was a cockerel. I have been able to easily pick up 3 of my 4 boys and have never had one come at me at all aggressively in order to even need a correction. I'm sure no matter which program you follow, there will be exceptions to the rule, but I subscribe to the "a little fear is good" principal. I don't want them to be terrified of me but I want them to have a healthy respect so they don't ever feel like they can tumble me from top roo position.

 

[dogwoodlaine]

Quick question...I started another "bug" with my father-in-law...lol. He seems to be into incubating, now. I'm looking for a "better than the styrofoam contraption" we currently are using. I've never had a problem with them, but I want to take a bunch of the variables out of the equation for him. Next step or two up from hoverbator? Thanks!

 

[racinchickins]

Quote: I've never been overly affectionate with my birds. I love to watch them, but feel no need to hold or cuddle, although if one stands still I will pet it for a bit. But I have been very careful to make sure my cockerels (and jakes) know who is boss. I always walk through them if they are in my way, and make them move. Of all the roos I've had so far, only three took shots at me. Both of the Silver Lakenvelders I've had and one Bresse. All three went to freezer camp posthaste. I had really wanted Lakenvelders, and they were so loud and aggressive it put me off the breed. All of my current roosters and my Royal Palm tom always give way to me whenever I am around, and have never challenged anyone I've had with me, even the young children.

As far as hens go, the brahma's and the bresse are the least timid around me. Everyone else just wants treats.

 

[atrueb00]

IMPORTANT ~ Calling all Silkie Experts!!!!

VIDEOS
I took videos of the silkies this afternoon so that hopefully someone can give me some clues about their sexual identities. ha

I brought them one by one to the front yard (where there's grass!), so they were a little freaked out being taken away from their little family, plus it was windy and chilly.
No award winning cinematography, just trying to show what they look like for identification purposes.

The Splash -- she is so pretty! I hope she's a girl. She's kind of a loner.
Girl or boy? 3 months & 1 week old
I think she's a pullet due to tail down/stance, no long hackle or saddle feathers and no visible comb or waddles.

This Blue has a taller narrower neck/head.
Female or Male?
I think this one could be a cockerel due to tall stance, holding tail up, longer hackle feathers than the other two. I don't see an saddle feathers yet, and didn't get a good view of comb or waddles to definitively say it's a cockerel just a guess.

The last one is the Blue with the ridiculously fancy feathered feet.
Pullet or Cockerel?
It was hard to tell if the hackle feathers were long or if it is just the sun! Such a beautiful bird but just not sure-could you post a pic with her crest held back so we can see the comb?

 

[kabhyper1]

I hope I didn't, and didn't mean to offend with my opinion on roos. I don't by any means coddle my boys. My handling of them is purely for a purpose. What I meant by petting them, is I get enjoyment out of petting them, while teaching them who's boss. A coddled roo, just like a coddled puppy will end up a spoiled brat. My chickens all have names, and I do find myself talking to them on occasion, but they are chickens, and I treat them as such. I personally like to be able to reach down and scoop all of my chickens up. If there is a medical problem or they need to be checked out just to be sure everything is okay, I prefer to not have to chase them down. My boys respect us. They have a healthy fear of us, but don't see us as a threatening force to be reckoned with per their nature to protect the flock from evil.

We are their bosses to do with them what we like, and they understand that.

Get a feel for your boys, and do what works best in your own situation. I just threw the handling thing out there, because for us personally, not handling them was making them think we were push overs, and under them in the pecking order. I have heard more often than not that handling them works better, although I shouldn't have told someone what to do with their own birds because every ones situation is different. I had a lot of advice when we first started, some worked some didn't. We did what worked best for us, and used a little of all of the suggestions in different ways.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I didn't figure you had meant anything by it, but the wording had me a little thrown there. And I also didn't mean to imply you coddle your boys. My hens are absolutely spoiled (they are not just chickens to me, they are my babies), but I've not had many good experiences with boys, so I am more reserved with them and I behave with them in a way that other roosters, more dominant roosters would behave.


My, the girls had a freakout just now and I looked out the window to see Mr. Po hurrying on his way to sort it out. Threw on my boots and went out after him to be safe, and as it turns out, someone was just being dramatic about laying an egg. So I tossed some scratch around and was trying to get some to Po, but he would always run over and point it out, then back off so the girls could snap it up. Such a good boy. I can't say enough for Cochin roosters.

 

[atrueb00]

I have to respectfully disagree on the handling of roos. Handle them as much as possible. The way to calm an aggressive cockerel is by grabbing them up and holding them. Gently pushing thier heads down in submission. It humiliates them to be picked up and held in front of their hens. We have seven roos. They have all been trained to respect people by being held. We don't walk around them if they are in they way, we walk through them to make them move. They arent allowed to mount hens in front of us. They get knocked off, showing we claim the hens. If they forget their place, which will occasionally happen, they get picked up and held during chores. It quickly reminds them that we are larger and top of the pecking order. All too often I hear people say they dont handle their roos for fear of them being people aggressive and find that they have horrible boys on their hands. Handling them has its rules though, which I think is what pipd meant. If you are going to handle them, it must be to show them dominance. They cant be allowed to squirm out of your hands, they can only be released once they stop resisting. It normally doesnt take long. You want to have boys around that you can easlily walk up to and pick up. You dont want a scared flighty rooster on your hands. They are fear aggressive. If they get scared of you or your family they will lash out. Hand feed them to show them you are a source of food and a positive thing. That you are not a threat. Chickens see in rbg and infared wavelengths, so to them you look like a blob of wavy colors, with no definitive shape. LOL if I wear different shoes than normal my boys notice and I have to speak to them and show them I am not new or scary. They are not complicated animals. You just have to stay on top of the pecking order at all times. Sorry this is so long winded, and I didnt mean to butt in, I just wanted to put that out there. We would have a mess on our hands with 7 boys if we hadn't learned in the very beginning how to train them right away. From hatch, if at all possible. There are a lot of really good articles on here about it. Thats where we got started with how to handle our boys. Here is a good thread. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/390911/important-how-to-deal-with-an-aggressive-rooster

This is really helpful advice. I have done some of these things consistently with our roosters, but not all (such as kicking off when mating). Very good to know as I like being able to pick up all the birds at any given time and not haven them get worked up about it.

Quote:

Einstein is a girl, and will keep her name. She makes me laugh with her crazy crest!

Sharing some more beauty..can't help myself! He seems smitten!


This is precious!

Quote:

I am going to have to try this. The white rooster in my avatar is more interested in grooming himself than he seems to be in the ladies. I bet he'd love staring at his reflection!

 

[kabhyper1]

I am going to have to try this. The white rooster in my avatar is more interested in grooming himself than he seems to be in the ladies. I bet he'd love staring at his reflection!

Thanks! Einstein is my first, but from what I understand, when the crest starts coming in it doesnt take long before becoming pretty obvious what sex it is. Einstein is more like a parrot than a chicken. She is immediately on my shoulder when I walk into the room the brooder is in. Lily loves her reflection. I took the mirror back into the bathroom, so she sttled for the tv stand windows on the doors. They are a narcissistic little animal.

 

[atrueb00]

Had good and bad news this morning. Good news is that I have 3 hens laying on the 15 eggs I brought home for them to incubate. I think I'm going to isolate them each into their own brooder bin as they keep stealing each other's eggs-and since one is sitting on guineas and the other 2 on MF and will hatch a week apart-I need them to stop doing that! I found 10 eggs under one hen today and the broody she stole them from was wandering around the coop aimlessly. Took 5 eggs away from the hen that had 10 and gave them back to the wandering broody, she sat right back down on them.

Bad news was that as I was bringing fresh water in to the Cornish X chicks and my cat sneaked in behind me and got one of the chicks. I stood there holding the water and seeing chicks flying out of the brooder, I thought I must have spooked them really badly but it was the cat. I got the chick away from the cat and it has a 1" gash on the top of its back which its wing covers. I took it to the bathroom and rinsed the wound out with hydrogen peroxide, then dressed it with triple antibiotic ointment but left the wound open to air out. Now the chick is in a kitty carrier beside the brooder so it gets heat from the light but is separated from the others. I checked it at lunch and it was fine, I flushed the wound again and put more ointment on it. Should I try to pick up an antibiotics at TSC? If so, any recommendations on type and dosage? Anything else I should try to do for it? The chick is 2-3 weeks old and weeks away from being butchered.