Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

[MargaretYakoda]

I have gone ahead and created a thread to focus on breeding for personality. You can find it here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/941330/breeding-for-personality-aka-hello-sweet-roo
Let the discussion BEGIN!

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

I noticed someone mentioning that you want to be dominant roo - I disagree with this. I don't want to be a rooster. I don't want to be at the top of the pecking order, I want to be outside of it. I don't dominate my rooster, I ignore him. Every time I've tried to dominate a rooster, he's ended up in the pot - mostly because dominating them doesn't make them trustworthy with other people.

Thanks for bringing this up so I could correct and eleborate!

LOL I didn't mean for someone to go out behaving as a rooster! I think we can agree that this is not what even the most chicken crazy people want to do!

Although I can picture it!


Mostly what I meant by 'dominate rooster' behavior is understanding what motivates aggressive actions. Too often the aggressive behavior starts with actions that are easy to ignore. Mounting whenever you are nearby or constant crowing, this tells me that the roo is not confidant and may result in more serious aggression. Ideally a roo will go about his business of watching for predators and feeding the flock, when you are about. If you constantly ignore aggression it most likely will mount.

I have heard of people who have been able to break a roo of serious aggression. You are right that you can't make them trustworthy through domination. An aggressive roo will continue his aggressive behavior for as long as he sees you and others as a threat. Some roos see anything that moves as a threat to flock safety and sometimes the only way to break bad behavior is to butcher!!

Confident and docile roos take a combination of areas,

 

[LindaB220]

This main roo Joel. I swear, he's the perfect boy. He's watchful of me but far from aggressive. He's calm if held, not hard to catch, will come close to eat treats from your hand (he knows his name so he knows if a treat is specific for him), he doesn't care about the kids. He guards the flock well, always finds his girls treats, cares for tends the babies and keeps everyone together and order in the flock

This was Blue. He was also very mellow and sweet with all people. He was ALWAYS first to try to get a treat. He's the one we processed last month (our first). As sweet as he was with people, the hens did NOT trust him. He was known for sneaking up on the girls when they were alone and jumping them. He wasn't a good lookout either.

Both boys are Marans and I swear they are the biggest sweet hearts (at least so far)



This little brat is Chip. He can be a nasty little thing. If it were up to me, he'd be gone though he's about the size of my fist. He's not in charge of the flock but he'll attempt a spurring if he even remotely thinks you may be looking at the girls. BUT, he's my son's chicken and he has a life pass *rolls eyes*

Wouldn't it be a shame if someday when your son is at school, and a "hawk" or something came and got him?

 

[jajeanpierre]

Three cockerels, 6 months old, have never shown aggression, have never picked up and dropped objects at me, have been all extremely friendly and inquisitive. One seems to be very close to me whenever I am outside. Not sure if it is the start of aggression or just continuing his curiosity/begging behavior. I did feed them treats. These three cockerels were raised by a broody hen. They are the nasty bird's chicks. I am not sure about this picking and dropping objects. Can you explain?

You must have really nice roosters if you don't know what I mean! I am SOOOOOO jealous!

It looks like titbitting, but it isn't. No hen ever mistakes it for titbitting. The rooster makes noises similar to when he tidbits for a hen and picks up little bits of things like leaves, small sticks or acorns and drops them. He is usually sidling up sideways and often has a wing dropped. It is aggression. The first time I saw it in my nasty cock bird he was about 6 months old and I thought he was being nice and titbitting because he liked me. Silly, naive, inexperienced me.

None of the four cockerels I have left have ever done this behavior and none have dropped a wing in my direction. They all don't seem as though they are aggressive.

Now, my nasty soup-waiting-to-be-made rooster has attacked me many, many times. I have to always know where he is when I am out in the yard. He'll only attack if he thinks he can sneak up on me, so usually as long as he knows I am watching him I'm okay. I intended to replace him with one of the five cockerels I grew out from my last batch from the breeder, but they were just such jerks with the hens that I was prepared to take abuse from Good-Soup-Walking rather than subject my hens to rapist roosters. Of the rapists, I culled all except this one that seems nice enough so far. I just can't believe I haven't processed Walking Soup yet. I know, I need to grow a pair.

 

[jajeanpierre]

@Jajeanpierre,

My suggestion would be that unless you're planning on showing birds, stop buying birds from show breeders. There are some show breeders that are concerned with temperment, but most are concerned with what is going to show well, and what fits the standard of perfection.

You need to buy birds from someone who has the same breeding goals as you do.



I noticed someone mentioning that you want to be dominant roo - I disagree with this. I don't want to be a rooster. I don't want to be at the top of the pecking order, I want to be outside of it. I don't dominate my rooster, I ignore him. Every time I've tried to dominate a rooster, he's ended up in the pot - mostly because dominating them doesn't make them trustworthy with other people.

Well, I do want to show birds, but after getting so many not-nice cockerels, I decided that while I want to breed for SOP, temperament has to be very, very high on the list of qualities I breed for.

I agree with you about not wanting to be part of the pecking order. Meeting aggression with aggression usually escalates the aggression from both ends. The bird will certainly escalate. At some point it becomes abuse.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Wouldn't it be a shame if someday when your son is at school, and a "hawk" or something came and got him?    

Oh I'd feel so bad about that! He wasn't always nasty. He wad once curious and friendly and would come when called. ..... but then he got mature. This picture is my son and Chip, sharing some pizza at the beginning of summer.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

You must have really nice roosters if you don't know what I mean! I am SOOOOOO jealous!

It looks like titbitting, but it isn't. No hen ever mistakes it for titbitting. The rooster makes noises similar to when he tidbits for a hen and picks up little bits of things like leaves, small sticks or acorns and drops them. He is usually sidling up sideways and often has a wing dropped. It is aggression. The first time I saw it in my nasty cock bird he was about 6 months old and I thought he was being nice and titbitting because he liked me. Silly, naive, inexperienced me.

None of the four cockerels I have left have ever done this behavior and none have dropped a wing in my direction. They all don't seem as though they are aggressive.

Now, my nasty soup-waiting-to-be-made rooster has attacked me many, many times. I have to always know where he is when I am out in the yard. He'll only attack if he thinks he can sneak up on me, so usually as long as he knows I am watching him I'm okay. I intended to replace him with one of the five cockerels I grew out from my last batch from the breeder, but they were just such jerks with the hens that I was prepared to take abuse from Good-Soup-Walking rather than subject my hens to rapist roosters. Of the rapists, I culled all except this one that seems nice enough so far. I just can't believe I haven't processed Walking Soup yet. I know, I need to grow a pair.

I have seen that with some roos that I put in the batcholor pen pretty fast. I thought they were trying to butter up the hens, since they always did the courting, wing drop right after!!! I just always watched for puffing or chest bumping with the Meanies.

@Auroradream26 It is rough when they are so sweet as babies and jerks once those hormones roll in. I can tell you from experience that your sweet roo is gone, he will not 'calm down'. Hopefully your son is old enough he won't get hurt.

One time I watched a JG roo knock down my 3 year old (One of those slow-mo moments when you can't get to your baby fast enough).....guess how long that roo lasted!!!!

 

[jajeanpierre]

I have seen that with some roos that I put in the batcholor pen pretty fast. I thought they were trying to butter up the hens, since they always did the courting, wing drop right after!!! I just always watched for puffing or chest bumping with the Meanies.

Just to be clear, it is not titbitting. When they titbit for the hens, you can tell they are calling the hens over for a goodie. This is different. It looks the same (to me who is not a hen) but the hens never mistake it. There is some soft vocalizing and picking things up and dropping them. The sideways stance is different. When I find it confusing is when I put the bowl of parrot food on the ground with the hens scrambling to eat it and a rooster making soft vocalizations that might be tidbitting but might be aggression. With all the hens milling around squabbling. it isn't always clear what behavior I am seeing.

I've never had any serious aggression between the males, regardless of the age other than normal stuff--mock fighting between the young birds or the older birds stopping the younger or subordinate ones from mating. In the flock, they are really good even if I have too high a ratio of males to females. Lately they young birds have been hopping the fence into my back yard where I have two bantam cock birds. I've even had the old nasty boy in the back with no problems. The bantam roosters tend to stay away, but not always, No male to male aggression, just aggression towards me and this year, a bunch that were nasty to the hens. Funny how I was so quick to cull the cockerels who started terrorizing the hens but tolerate the aggression directed towards me. I mean, what does that say about me???? He's got to go. (How long have I been saying that? A year? I no longer have the excuse of needing a cock/cockerel or two to replace him to watch the flock.)

 

[Happy Chooks]

4 more cockerels made their journey to the freezer today. (well, resting in the fridge for now)

I have one from a while ago in the crock pot now as well.

 

[chicken pickin]

4 more cockerels made their journey to the freezer today. (well, resting in the fridge for now)

I have one from a while ago in the crock pot now as well.

I have 3 that will be headed to freezer camp very soon and Im quite sad about it. I have too many so I know they need to go But it doesn't make it any easier. They get 6 more weeks and then they go.

What is your crock pot cock being cooked with?