Landrace/adaptive breeding discussion

[LaurenRitz]

I am following the same process with the two new chicks. Walk them over, put them on the ladder until they start to go up by themselves. Last night I put the boy on the ground. It took him a few minutes, but he eventually figured it out. Then I brought the girl over. She looked at the ladder and I thought she would run back to the coop and I'd have to chase her down again.

Then she just casually jumped and flew up the whole distance.

Beautiful.

The Dorking-Sussex are turning out to be mean and greedy. Highly dominant, and determined to be even over the adults. Not sure I like that.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Kind of random but I realized today I really need a rooster…

I was walking out to the coop and picking up chestnuts along the way, just kind of dawdling. After a while I noticed the chickens coming over to see what I was up to. Normally they might do this then go back to their business. But they just kept following me, checking out everything I touched. Then it hit me:
They think I’m foraging. (Which I am, technically)
They think I’m foraging for them.
I AM the rooster.

Hm... just be prepared when they choose another rooster and they're not yours anymore. They're his.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Hm... just be prepared when they choose another rooster and they're not yours anymore. They're his.

It’s only been about a month since they had an actual rooster (well a cockerel) so I’m hoping the transition won’t be a big deal.

 

[LaurenRitz]

It’s only been about a month since they had an actual rooster (well a cockerel) so I’m hoping the transition won’t be a big deal.

Good. I've talked to people who go through this weird grief process when they get a rooster and the behavior of the hens changes. Figured I'd mention it JIC.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Well fiddlesticks…one of the game hens has disappeared. She started sleeping out by herself and I’m not sure if she was predated or if she’s sitting on a clutch somewhere. This is most inconvenient. Should be getting a rooster this weekend who is a tree chicken. Not sure how to integrate him without coop training him. I was planning on feeding him in the barn and letting him find the hens during the day by himself. Any ideas on that front appreciated.

 

[Perris]

I guess you'll find out about the missing hen in a few weeks; I hope she does return with chicks in tow, or earlier (if the nest is predated as all my hidden nesters' clutches have been).

Not sure how to integrate him without coop training him. I was planning on feeding him in the barn and letting him find the hens during the day by himself. Any ideas on that front appreciated.

I haven't done integration for many years now, but I have watched a wild pheasant attempt/play with it. From that I would expect your plan to work; they will find each other, and hopefully your hens will be more receptive to a roo than mine are to pheasant cocks.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I hope she does return with chicks in tow, or earlier (if the nest is predated as all my hidden nesters' clutches have been).

I haven’t had a rooster for about a month so no chance of that unfortunately. It figures one of them would go broody as soon as the weather turns and the cockerel is gone But no I am pretty sure she’s just gone though I have no idea the exact mechanism.

 

[LaurenRitz]

This one little girl just can't seem to figure out the rafter roost. All her siblings took to it easily. I've been catching her and walking her over for nearly a week. The little boy, no problem. It seems she still wants to roost in the brooder with her big brothers.

When I put her down, she goes up, but the next night it's right back to her crying at the brooder door.

Not sure how to solve this.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

My chicken came back. Which makes me think she is sitting on duds out in the woods somewhere and I will never find the clutch. I guess that’s the risk I took letting a game chicken run amok haha

 

[LaurenRitz]

Well fiddlesticks…one of the game hens has disappeared. She started sleeping out by herself and I’m not sure if she was predated or if she’s sitting on a clutch somewhere. This is most inconvenient. Should be getting a rooster this weekend who is a tree chicken. Not sure how to integrate him without coop training him. I was planning on feeding him in the barn and letting him find the hens during the day by himself. Any ideas on that front appreciated.

When I let a new cockerel out, he usually stays where I put him for a day or two,then moves in with the girls. They'll work it out.