Morinth has resting b...roody face.Congrats on the chicks! They are adorable, and both mums look quite pleased with what they've achieved.
Morinth looks slightly pissed with the camera being so close to her babies
she gave a halfhearted trill at the phone then gave up.
Samara booped me, didn't even open her beak to stop me from picking her up.
Hopefully they stay as chilled out as they appear to be at present!
Yes hopefully! If I'm lucky they'll co raise them because they kept trying to sit on one nest together. They get along really well so fingers crossed.Two broodies in neighbouring nest boxes with simultaneous chicks should be interesting to watch
Probably not.So taking a chicken home on the bus isn't an option?
Sounds like the plot to a cute illustrated children's bookProbably not.
Genetics play their part. What is quite apparent that a bad dad doesn't necessarily produce bad sons and the son's sons haven't been bad either in my experience. It works the other way to. There may well be inherited qualities and for many physical characteristics someone with a good knowledge of the subject a good breeder for example will know what the chicks will look like, weight,shape and plumage, just from the parents.When I walk in the run the chickens move out of the way for the most part. If I have tomato or grape bits they tend to crowd my feet. I rarely step on their feet but a squawk lets me know that they got too close. They learn. The littles are now taking bits from my fingers, though it's more of a snatch and run. Silas is the boldest, typical cockerel.
I'm still learning about males. Joel was raised in a brooder, no adult hens. As a chick he would sit on my lap, and even take short snoozes there. He did give me an occasional quick peck on the back of my legs as he was asserting his dominance. I ignored it for the most part. He was a good rooster for his short life, respected my position, tidbited his girls, and kept Samuel in line as the "roo in the queue".
Samuel was from the same hatch as Joel, but he wasn't a lap chick. He was always standoffish, but submitted to Joel's authority. He became head roo just before Joel died and I didn't anticipate any issues. Within a month Samuel flogged my face, cut me just below the eye. He never tidbited his hens, and was rough with his mating. I believe he was the one who attacked Zack as a 2 day old chick, twice. I removed Samuel permanently after observing him going after his own chicks in a serious and murderous manner.
Zacchaeus is about 4 months old, has had limited human contact, mostly hen raised. He was developmentally behind the others, but I suspect getting hurt early on was the main reason for that. He caught up after a few weeks, and has been the only male and only one left from his brood since he was 6 weeks old. He has attacked my feet and skirt, and I have ignored him. I am hoping he will do better than his sire, Samuel, and become a good rooster.
In my limited experience I believe that environment is not the main reason a rooster is good like Henry or Joel, (or my first roo Ping, circa 1992). It didn't seem to be a factor with Samuel, who was raised in a similar manner as Joel. I suspect the differences are due to different personalities.
I am posting this here as there are so many experienced people in this thread. I don't expect answers, but insights from the wiseare always welcome.
Nor me.
Thank you for that lengthy and informative reply. Free range is not an option so I will just adapt as I continue to learn.Genetics play their part. What is quite apparent that a bad dad doesn't necessarily produce bad sons and the son's sons haven't been bad either in my experience. It works the other way to. There may well be inherited qualities and for many physical characteristics someone with a good knowledge of the subject a good breeder for example will know what the chicks will look like, weight,shape and plumage, just from the parents.
The environment is everything else, no matter how one proportions it. The environment includes the keeper of course. What the envronment can do is provide a solution.
Mums and Dads for reasons unknown don't expect to have their 40 year old son living with them and having sex with the sisters, or even with mum. Most creatures seem to know this. You get the kids up to fighting weight, pack them a bag and show them the door.
Jungle fowl still do this as did the feral Fayumies my friend kept in Catalonia. Showing them the door isn't going to work if there's no where else to live. We humans have discovered this. Showing them the door with nowhere to live and no others of their species to mate with tends to produce rogue cockerels. One definitely doesn't want that in a back yard.
One has to have realistic expectations and a plan of action for when things go wrong.
Free ranging, nature helps sort these problems out with deaths assistance.
I got to the point where I appreciated this. I've had two and three males in a clutch and they formed a gang and were a complete pain in the arse for everyone. The Goshawk, or weasel, sorted most of these problems out and I might be left with one rather more sober prospective rooster.
Not everyone feels comfortable with the nature option or doesn't keep their chickens in conditions that enable nature to operate in the normal fashion.
I'm in this position currently with the two juvenile males and the probability is they'll get eaten.
I've never had a chick attack me, chick being any age until mother finishes raising them. I've had very few juvenile males attack me. It's mostly been full grown roosters and not many. People tell me I'm exceptionally calm around the animals and that makes a lot of difference. The right clothing at all times makes a lot of difference (very few people I know get this as a habit) The really difficult thing is to never, never completely trust any of them. Do not bend down to them as if you might when stroking a cat oblivious to the surroundings. Always be aware and concentrated on what you are doing.
When Goldie was little, he would bite me as opposed to taking treats out of my hand or when I was trying to inspect him for any mites or whatever, now, he is the the sweetest boy, he knows I only pick him up to check him over or fix something that is wrong and he works with Spud to guard me from Blue or Pips attacks. So I am not convinced that youthful aggression is an issue, maybe they are setting boundaries until they feel they can trust.
