Rooster question

[Birdofire1]

My wyandottes do fine in the heat. Ees, are the least hardy chickens from my observation.

Have you had any trouble with them in 112 degrees several months in a row? I'm genuinly curious... My Leghorn went down last year. I finally brought her inside to help her out. I only meant that in a general sense hybrids or "mutts" have fewer issues than pure breds.

 

[Birdofire1]

x2 for this. We get the occasional 110 degree heat index here and haven't had serious issues.

Unfortunately I'm in deep south Texas and it's not occasional here. I had a mister on them last year and overall have lost two to heat, one almost went down but after several months she's finally back in the coop. None of them were EE. *sigh* This coming year will be educational for sure. Ugh.

 

[nuthatched]

To

Have you had any trouble with them in 112 degrees several months in a row? I'm genuinly curious... My Leghorn went down last year. I finally brought her inside to help her out. I only meant that in a general sense hybrids or "mutts" have fewer issues than pure breds.

I've never had those temperatures but many members in southern AZ get naked necks and fayumi.
Mutt dogs and cats are healthier yes, but hybrid chickens are the first to go, unfortunately.

 

[No Coop No Problem]

Mutt dogs and cats are healthier yes, but hybrid chickens are the first to go, unfortunately.

What distinction are you making here? I'm sure hatchery designer chickens are sickly, but the only sick chickens I've ever had have been purebred

 

[Birdofire1]

To

I've never had those temperatures but many members in southern AZ get naked necks and fayumi.
Mutt dogs and cats are healthier yes, but hybrid chickens are the first to go, unfortunately.

I was using mutt and hybrid interchangably when they aren't really the same, sorry! So Easter Eggers are hybrids, correct?

 

[nuthatched]

I was using mutt and hybrid interchangably when they aren't really the same, sorry! So Easter Eggers are hybrids, correct?

Ah, I see. Sorry! Nope, they're mutts. Mixes of mixes.

 

[Birdofire1]

Ah, I see. Sorry! Nope, they're mutts. Mixes of mixes.

Gotcha. Thanks!

 

[McChooky]

n To

I've never had those temperatures but many members in southern AZ get naked necks and fayumi.
Mutt dogs and cats are healthier yes, that hybrid chickens are the first to go, unfortunately.

I replaced all my hybrids with predator savvy purebreds that fly faster and farther,generally live longer and are more resistant to disease. My hybrids make better broody hens !

 

[seacrow13]

I'm pretty hands off when it comes to roosters. In other people's experience.... does a rooster tend to get mean with hands on, hands off, or no difference? I will probably never want to carry a rooster around to 'calm them down' but I could put more effort into feeding them by hand if it would promote a gentler rooster. Or is it really a luck of the draw and you don't know what you have until they mature?

I raised a rooster I’m so proud of last year, and it was the most hands on I’ve ever been with the raising of a rooster. Certain breeds can have a predisposition to being friendly, i.e. cream legbars are an incredibly friendly breed and probably the one I’ve had the best luck with for roosters. BUT genetics are not the only deciding factor, I believe it’s 80% how it’s raised in my experience.

This cream legbar rooster I recognized very early in the group with chicks because of how he would respond when I picked other chicks up. As soon as I knew he was likely a rooster I began handling him every day as much as I possibly could, holding him until he fell asleep, feeding him out of my hand, sitting in front of their cage when they were younger or having my hand in holding some of them, etc. even as a juvenile he remained so calm with me and would even still fall asleep if I sat him in my lap lol.

I want to say between 12-16 weeks ish is when they really start getting the hormones and rooster attitude, this is when they’re going to test you. It’s so important that if he puffs up, runs at you, tries to chest bump your calf or anything you don’t cause him harm (don’t kick like some people would). I always responded by merely stepping toward him or stamping a foot only. You want to show you’re in charge but not cause harm and make a mean rooster.

Now he’s grown up to be amazing with the hens, always keeping an eye on them and on anything that could be a threat, getting in the middle and separating them when if they ever start fighting, he’s so gentle with them— but he’s still good with people. I still regularly pick him up even though he’s absolutely huge.

I think sometimes people have the idea that roosters that are good with hens are mean to people and roosters that are good with people are rough on/bad with hens, but it’s definitely not the case!

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I’ve had roosters who were raised hands-off who were aggressive, just more sneaky with it. And I’ve had ones raised hands-off who were very bold about their aggression.