Ruined, beyond hope cockerel? *Graphic Photos*

[Shadrach]

[QUOTE="Mimi’Well, space never has been a concern with my birds so I’m really puzzled now. All of my birds, except the two in confinement, have approximately 4 acres of grass covered yard and a 600sf run they own. Bump that to 18 additional acres if they jump the fence into the pastures surrounding the house. However, most of them choose to hang around the upper 1/2 acre of my back yard where their house/run is located. I would think they prefer that area because it has great cover from any potential aerial predator. Along with my two LGD’s that stay in very close proximity to the flock, they shouldn’t have any real predator concerns either.

I’m not sure what his problem is, but space is not his excuse.[/QUOTE]
It's not that kind of space I'm talking about
It's convincing him that you have the right to his space.
I have 8 roosters here. I also have Muscovy ducks. Normally they all get along fine.
They eat togther, they've even shared the same coop with one chciken tribe, but when the muscovys move into the roosters space the rooster moves. The rooster accepts that the Muscovy has the right to freedom of movement. The rooster does not accept this about his hens and will block them, raise his hackles and when necessary peck them when he wants them to move.

 

[dalasgalas]

I definitely understand that. And for the past three weeks my grandson and I don’t go outside unless I have all the birds in the run. Cannot and will not take that chance. Thank you.

I think you are making the right call. Over Easy held my back yard hostage for 12 months.

 

[aart]

Unbelievable! So what I saw isn't normal then? I had no idea. And all he is fed is Purina Layena in pellet form and fermented on the side. No treats other than that. Wow.

And your girl, geez at the back fat!

I don't know how normal it might be....or not.
I've only slaughtered 2 older males, most mine go between 12-16 weeks, one was about 10 months and the other was 30 months and neither had that much fat that I recall.
That fat hen was about 3 years old and hadn't laid in months, other hens have been about 2 and only the ones not laying had much fat, and not that much.
I have always fed Flock Raiser with OS on the side.

 

[Mimi13]

I think you are making the right call. Over Easy held my back yard hostage for 12 months.

Yep. In hindsight, way too long.

 

[EggWalrus]

I've had roos that went thru horrible puberty. Non stop fighting, raping the hens and pulling all their feathers off their heads and back. Even a few that had balls enough to attack me. With the exception of one man-killer, I was able to put a fix on their bad ass mistreating. It usually wound start with little pecks on my legs and boots when feeding them. Then biting my legs, then biting the living hell out of me if I tried to pick them up. DW kept saying don't hurt them, they are just "love pecks", till I came back in one day with my hands and forearms covered in blood. After that I got a willow switch. If they even looked at me wrong, I'd whip that ass with the switch. And if I wasn't paying attention and they sneaked too close, they would find out why I was a punter as well as fullback. All but the one who thought he could be a "man killer" straightened up and began to fly right. And any of the rest that got too rough with the hens or otherwise decided to misbehave got put in solitary confinement for about 2-3 weeks. When they came out, they were on the bottom of the pecking order and getting their asses whiped daily by other birds. Those that tried to flog/spur me had appointment in Hanging Tree.

I'd hang them by their feet upside down for a little while, while I sat there right beside them so there would be no doubt who the boss was.
It seems like lots of roosters act the fool when their teenage whore moans are raging, but after a few months they out grow this bad behavior, that's as long as YOU don't let them get too cocky to begin with.
As for Mr. Man Killer, he wound up Roo Stew.
PS I would never kick a hen, it could break an egg in her. And even with roosters you don't have to kick them very hard, it just scares them and gets their attention.

 

[Mimi13]

[QUOTE="Mimi’Well, space never has been a concern with my birds so I’m really puzzled now. All of my birds, except the two in confinement, have approximately 4 acres of grass covered yard and a 600sf run they own. Bump that to 18 additional acres if they jump the fence into the pastures surrounding the house. However, most of them choose to hang around the upper 1/2 acre of my back yard where their house/run is located. I would think they prefer that area because it has great cover from any potential aerial predator. Along with my two LGD’s that stay in very close proximity to the flock, they shouldn’t have any real predator concerns either.

I’m not sure what his problem is, but space is not his excuse.

It's not that kind of space I'm talking about
It's convincing him that you have the right to his space.
I have 8 roosters here. I also have Muscovy ducks. Normally they all get along fine.
They eat togther, they've even shared the same coop with one chciken tribe, but when the muscovys move into the roosters space the rooster moves. The rooster accepts that the Muscovy has the right to freedom of movement. The rooster does not accept this about his hens and will block them, raise his hackles and when necessary peck them when he wants them to move.[/QUOTE]
Okay, I’ve got cha. With that being explained then, my cockerel should have absolutely no reason to think my back deck is his, he has NEVER even been down there. Correct? However, it is funny to watch him slowly make his way to the deck steps like he’s gonna come on down onto the deck. Darn bird.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Well, space never has been a concern with my birds so I’m really puzzled now. All of my birds, except the two in confinement, have approximately 4 acres of grass covered yard and a 600sf run they own. Bump that to 18 additional acres if they jump the fence into the pastures surrounding the house. However, most of them choose to hang around the upper 1/2 acre of my back yard where their house/run is located. I would think they prefer that area because it has great cover from any potential aerial predator. Along with my two LGD’s that stay in very close proximity to the flock, they shouldn’t have any real predator concerns either.

I’m not sure what his problem is, but space is not his excuse.

It has nothing to do with space in my opinion. It has to do with roosters being too familiar with humans. Roosters shouldn't be handled as chicks or as they grow unless necessary. There should be no petting. I want mine to run from me. When mine mature, they aren't afraid of me and are respectful. I raise a few roosters every year. They should move away from you, especially during that first year and should keep a respectful distance of 5-10 feet.

 

[Shadrach]

It has nothing to do with space in my opinion. It has to do with roosters being too familiar with humans. Roosters shouldn't be handled as chicks or as they grow unless necessary. There should be no petting. I want mine to run from me. When mine mature, they aren't afraid of me and are respectful. I raise a few roosters every year. They should move away from you, especially during that first year and should keep a respectful distance of 5-10 feet.

That is about space.

 

[Shadrach]

It's not that kind of space I'm talking about
It's convincing him that you have the right to his space.
I have 8 roosters here. I also have Muscovy ducks. Normally they all get along fine.
They eat togther, they've even shared the same coop with one chciken tribe, but when the muscovys move into the roosters space the rooster moves. The rooster accepts that the Muscovy has the right to freedom of movement. The rooster does not accept this about his hens and will block them, raise his hackles and when necessary peck them when he wants them to move.

Okay, I’ve got cha. With that being explained then, my cockerel should have absolutely no reason to think my back deck is his, he has NEVER even been down there. Correct? However, it is funny to watch him slowly make his way to the deck steps like he’s gonna come on down onto the deck. Darn bird.[/QUOTE]
You're still stuck on the wrong idea of space. It's not a specificaly defined zone.
It's your right to be where he is. It doesn't matter where that is.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That is about space.

No, it's about not letting young chicks, especially roosters bond to humans so they become confused about the human being apart of the flock, instead of a separate entity. My roosters don't feel the need to dominate me, because I am not a part of the flock.