Observations on two roosters

[Mrs. K]

For years I have tried t come to terms with this country:

• I have a 20x 30 foot run totally enclosed that my flock can be in 24/7
• I do not let them out on a schedule - such as at 7:00 each day - predators learn when tasty freeze is open.
• I have found that a mature year old rooster, that is a good rooster (not all roosters are good ones). Will make a difference in day time predation. They are unsuccessful with coons at night.

So my current situation is two young juvenile cockerels, who cannot be counted on for months. What I need to do, is keep them alive, getting them some experience and wait until they are a year old...a little tricky.

Mrs K

 

[Sally PB]

Following. I'm really interested in how this pans out.

 

[Shadrach]

I have such rough country and predators are smart and determined. Recently lost two. So I hate to let them out and yet if I don’t let them out, how do they become aware?View attachment 3601276View attachment 3601277

That isn't a great environment for ranging chickens in. There just isn't any cover.

 

[Mrs. K]

Well, the pictures are a bit one sided. We are at the top of a crick, with brush. Thing is, coyotes can work up in the brush and pick off anything that gets away from the group. If we have cattle in the pasture, they tend to not hang around. Especially yearlings, yearlings just love to move.

So if they are in the brush, bushes and trees - coyotes and if they are up on top in the prairie hawks and eagles. It is tough country.

Mrs K

 

[Auntiejessi3]

 

[Mrs. K]

So two days ago I am thinking, 'Long Johns is getting the hen vote.' Yesterday I went out, Long Johns is off by himself and a juvenile pullet, and No Hat is with the group!

Again, the hens left the run, without the roosters, and they struggle to find their way out. And yesterday, they did have a minor bluster fight between them over it, when they were stressed because the hens were gone. It was over in just a second. So I will be watching that.

Mrs K

 

[Magda12]

For years I have tried t come to terms with this country:

• I have a 20x 30 foot run totally enclosed that my flock can be in 24/7
• I do not let them out on a schedule - such as at 7:00 each day - predators learn when tasty freeze is open.
• I have found that a mature year old rooster, that is a good rooster (not all roosters are good ones). Will make a difference in day time predation. They are unsuccessful with coons at night.

So my current situation is two young juvenile cockerels, who cannot be counted on for months. What I need to do, is keep them alive, getting them some experience and wait until they are a year old...a little tricky.

Mrs K

If any of this helps...

I have read that alpacas are great defenders against aerial predators. I like to talk about this one, because I REALLY want some alpacas to spin their fur

I have also been told to get bamboo shoots and spread them out in the free range area (taller than the tallest person to get out there) and string fishing line between them. Apparently the hawks can see the light glint off the fishing line and it deters them? I have no idea how close they'd need to be or if this is even practical for the area you're dealing with.

I've also read that LOTS of low bushes and places to hide (even covered hoops, like the way they make hoop coops) in certain areas that the flock can hide under can help tremendously.

Thanks for your roo insights, I just hatched a batch of 10 chicks (half barred rock, half orpington, EE, BR or Columbian Wyandotte, or so I am told) and I am pretty sure that at least half of them are roos, so I will need to select one at some point and cull the rest (not looking forward to that).

 

[Avocadoman]

Often times people ask about how do you choose the right rooster out of a group, so I thought I would write down some observations.

I added two juvenile cockerels. They were crowing and in a flock mate flock, they thought they were hot stuff. I brought them home and Mrs. Feathers taught them some ettiquette. They have fit well into the flock of older hens and two juveniles. I have watched the juveniles pretty carefully as I do not want them harassed. And they have not been. I am assuming these boy are about 3 months old ~ 12 ish weeks.

Yesterday I let them out and was not too impressed. The two cockerels stayed close to the run/coop - the hens wandered off by them selves.

But today I saw something different. The one I am calling Long Johns - he caught a grasshopper, made a tentative tidbit call and Mrs. Feathers came over and accepted it. I swear she was smiling, "Oh, isn't he sweet?" A few moments later the hen flock moved off, and all at once, Long Johns realized it, and ran over to join them. Got right in the midst of them, and then while they were grazing, I see his head up and looking around more than down and eating. A good sign.

Meanwhile the other boy - no hat, is with one of the juveniles. He does not leave the coop/run, he is not paying attention to anything but possible grasshoppers and he is not tidbitting. He does not crow as often as Long John - so might just be a little younger, a little less hormones.

It is WAY to early to make a call, but I liked what I saw today. I originally liked No Hat a bit better because he has a tight comb. But for me and my girls it is not a deciding factor. They will be making big changes in the next 2-4 months. Neither may make the final cut, or rather both might be cut out. I will continue to post about these boys. Maybe it will help.

Mrs K

when they are trying to eat you and the mail man and tearing out the feathers of all your hens while fighting each other and crowing at 3am, the only choice you'll be thinking about is adobo or curry.

 

[Kelly Holt]

I'M ENJOYING THIS THREAD since I now have three 16-week-old roosters to sort out. Unfortunately, even though the girls aren't ready, for the past 2 weeks one of the males is ready to mount any and all of the twenty 16 wk old pullets. There is a LOT of screaming and running for dear life going on in my run right now! I have no idea if this means aggressive behavior or just early maturity.

 

[Mrs. K]

I KNOW exactly what you mean. However, two summers ago, I hatched out a pullet and cockerel - he was such a sorry sight. I knew from the get go he was going to be close to biscuits or dumplings. But he just kept ticking off the good rooster list. I called him Bye, cause at 16 weeks, well he got the bye, at 5 months, he was better yet.

Damn coyote got him the following summer. Ugh!

@ Magda12 - what really works for me, is chain link fence and not letting them out...which as my son points out, "no crying here, you know that works." I just like them to get out once in a while. Any wool animal would be covered in stickers. I swear we grow the meanest plants known to man.

Mrs K