Old and Rare Breeds

[NanaKat]

Lacy Blues, I put most of my roosters in a bachelor pen late in the summer and they remain that way most of the winter. I have kept juvenile cockerels together for most of a season while deciding which ones to keep as breeders. When setting up the bachelor pen, adding several the same age at a time in the late evening at treat time seems to divert attention. If a rooster is too unfriendly, he goes into a wall cage for a few days until peace reigns. Then he is added and observed. Usually that settles the issue.
When I break up breeding pens, I begin letting the small flocks freerange together. The squabbles then are short lived and when the "pecking" order is set, I pen those Roos together.
I always leave at least two roosters with the layer flock for their protection when out free ranging and the bachelor pen has had as many as 15 cockerels/roosters together.
A lot of it depends on the aggressive behavior...or lack of aggression in the breeds you have. Mine are Wyandottes and Cochins.

 

[saladin]

I free range all my stags until they start fighting too bad. Once they get their courage up I have to pen them or there will nothing but death and destruction.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Lacy Blues, I put most of my roosters in a bachelor pen late in the summer and they remain that way most of the winter. I have kept juvenile cockerels together for most of a season while deciding which ones to keep as breeders. When setting up the bachelor pen, adding several the same age at a time in the late evening at treat time seems to divert attention. If a rooster is too unfriendly, he goes into a wall cage for a few days until peace reigns. Then he is added and observed. Usually that settles the issue.
When I break up breeding pens, I begin letting the small flocks freerange together. The squabbles then are short lived and when the "pecking" order is set, I pen those Roos together.
I always leave at least two roosters with the layer flock for their protection when out free ranging and the bachelor pen has had as many as 15 cockerels/roosters together.
A lot of it depends on the aggressive behavior...or lack of aggression in the breeds you have. Mine are Wyandottes and Cochins.

That sounds like a good practice. I have several cockerels together but I've never tried penning the breeding males after breeding season.

I free range all my stags until they start fighting too bad. Once they get their courage up I have to pen them or there will nothing but death and destruction.

I believe that you called Mediterranean breeds "dung hills" (or something of that nature) somewhere on one of the threads we frequent. Well, if my birds won't fight, maybe they'll be alright. I'm not offended by that statement, in fact, its a bit amusing. I'm wondering, are they considered dung hills because they don't viciously attack and not let up til someone is dead? They will fight though, maybe not to the death, but I don't want them tearing each other up.

I will try to balance this information and see how I can work it out in my own pens. I don't have free range... just desert and scrubby sagebrush. I have a dream though...

 

[saladin]

Yes, that is why they are called dunghills. They were once 'Games' now turned into something else.

No offense was intend by the term. It's just a term that's all. Nothing more.

 

[saladin]

And since it is the Med. class that by and large supplies the world with eggs who could possibly look down on them (regardless of the terminology used).

I just wish folks knew enough poultry history to recognize their Game origin. It seems that peoples view of Games is so slanted and biased when they don't recognize that it is the Game which feeds the world!

 

[Pozees]

And since it is the Med. class that by and large supplies the world with eggs who could possibly look down on them (regardless of the terminology used).

I just wish folks knew enough poultry history to recognize their Game origin. It seems that peoples view of Games is so slanted and biased when they don't recognize that it is the Game which feeds the world!

... and broods it, from what I've read

 

[Hangtown Farms]

A few of my Crele Penedesenca are starting to lay. Two eggs Today !

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

Normally, we end up putting all the chicks together once they get old enough so that always helps.Normally I keep breeding groups in smaller pens, then by late summer they are all out free ranging for the most part. Once fall comes, I open up a couple bigger pens and put them all together. If they fight, I let it go on for a day or so before I worry. This fall I had a wyandotte rooster get hung up in the fence and broke his leg, this is the first time it has ever happened here. Also, I keep the hens farther away from them just to prevent any temptations.

 

[ramirezframing]

ok I got a genetics question if I breed blue to blue I get blue, black, splash chicks. Now if I take the black pullet chicks from this crossing to a black rooster will I get any blue babies or all black?? Thanks for the information

 

[Lacy Blues]

ok I got a genetics question if I breed blue to blue I get blue, black, splash chicks. Now if I take the black pullet chicks from this crossing to a black rooster will I get any blue babies or all black?? Thanks for the information

You will get only blacks.