She said/He said Who's right? Who's wrong? No one!

[AmyLynn2374]

I did this with a RIR and he was ok with me. My daughter went in and came out bleeding...... He was not tender, but he was delicious served cold.

LOL on the last comment. My roo is like that. He's not draw blood aggressive, but he charged me a couple times. Like I said (out of reflex) one day I Gibb's slapped him and backed him up. Next time I puffed out my chest (no comment) and made myself as big as I could get and backed him up. He's thought about it since then, but catches himself and doesn't come at me. My son on the other hand, all he has to do is see him through the fence and he'll go right into the fence trying to get at him. My other roo- as docile as can be. Mr, Cocky-(my NN roo) is on his way out. Come and get him, I hear turkens are delicious...lol Seriously I plan on replaceing him with one of the ones from my last hatch. My nn/ee is as sweet and docile as she can be and I'm hoping her babies are like her. I really wanted to see the silky/nn be a roo and use him, but there's no doubt it's daddy is my nn roo, so we'll see his temperment first.

Which goes to prove that that person's theory and training method is a danger to society!

Agreed.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I need to post pictures of my Frankenbator if this hatch goes well.

I ain't showing it off though until I get a descent hatch rate.

LOL

 

[caesargirl]

@AmyLynn2374Believe me, no more staggered hatches. Ever. It was a chance to save some eggs from a destroyed nest (favorite duck) on the upside, I've got 60+ eggs hatching within days of each other, under broodies... I think I'm gonna go have a cocktail and let my nails grow...so I can chew them off in two wks! I'll give your advice a shot!

 

[chickiedoodahs]

Think they are eager beavers

Better then slow coaches! Haha

My polish mixes all came out with the 5 toes, but the yellow skin...lol

The 5 toes are the best bit!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

@AmyLynn2374 Believe me, no more staggered hatches. Ever. It was a chance to save some eggs from a destroyed nest (favorite duck) on the upside, I've got 60+ eggs hatching within days of each other, under broodies... I think I'm gonna go have a cocktail and let my nails grow...so I can chew them off in two wks! I'll give your advice a shot!

LOL. Well, I wish you the best of luck and make sure you keep us posted. I guess if I've ever heard a good reason for staggering that would be one of the better ones.

Better then slow coaches! Haha
The 5 toes are the best bit!

I love the 5 toes. It's the first thing I checked on every one when I pulled them for the bator. Between my silkie, my silkie polish (that has 5 toes) and my little white hen that has silkie (I only know this because she has 5 toes) in her, I got quite a few 5 toed. Only thing is I have a couple that has 5 on one foot and 4 on the other. OOps...lol

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

@AmyLynn2374Believe me, no more staggered hatches. Ever. It was a chance to save some eggs from a destroyed nest (favorite duck) on the upside, I've got 60+ eggs hatching within days of each other, under broodies... I think I'm gonna go have a cocktail and let my nails grow...so I can chew them off in two wks! I'll give your advice a shot!

Staggered hatch is not for me either, far too much worry

Better then slow coaches! Haha

Most certainly!!

 

[chickiedoodahs]

LOL. Well, I wish you the best of luck and make sure you keep us posted. I guess if I've ever heard a good reason for staggering that would be one of  the better ones. 

I love the 5 toes. It's the first thing I checked on every one when I pulled them for the bator. Between my silkie, my silkie polish (that has 5 toes) and my little white hen that has silkie (I only know this because she has 5 toes) in her, I got quite a few 5 toed. Only thing is I have a couple that has 5 on one foot and 4 on the other.  OOps...lol

Yeah my silkie x has got 5 toes on one foot and 4 on the other, she's cute but I'm just not keen on her. Her feathering isn't right and she has a very long neck. Don't think I'll ever see a butt as fluffy as hers though haha

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I love the 5 toes. It's the first thing I checked on every one when I pulled them for the bator. Between my silkie, my silkie polish (that has 5 toes) and my little white hen that has silkie (I only know this because she has 5 toes) in her, I got quite a few 5 toed. Only thing is I have a couple that has 5 on one foot and 4 on the other.  OOps...lol

I too had a lovely little hen with five toes and a Pom Pom that was a silkie cross. She was meant to be a roo but turned out a hen that some friends gave us. Called her Sheldon as we thought she was boy!! Fox got her though through my own stupidity, just as she had started to lay too. This was all before I got into the polish. I suppose the fox attack turned me in a whole new direction with chickens.

 

[lazy gardener]

I get good hatches in my home made bator. But, I do spend a fair amount of time babysitting it. Not so much last time though, and it was the best hatch ever. Hope to have my fridgeabator made for next spring.

 

[RubyNala97]

Are you going to use him for a breeder?  As I recall, you are breeding Polish, and EE.  anything else?   
Some folks don't let their rooster mate in front of them as part of the "dominant" human theory.  In rooster speak, the dominant roo has breeding rights.  Any other roo who breeds when he's around gets his butt kicked to the moon and back.  When I know that a chick is a male, I immediately do a hands off approach with him.  I'll handle the pullets, give them facial massages, and generally love on them a bit... occasionally.  But roos:  I want them to have a healthy respect for me.  I've never had to seriously discipline a rooster since the first year when I had some nasty RIR boys.  But, I teach roos early on that they need to get out of my way.  Usually, I only need to do some serious training with one, b/c the rest have gone to freezer camp.  The roo that gets to stay:  he tidbits the girls, (and his chicks).  He gives warning calls for all perceived threats.  He is never allowed to dance for me.  He is never allowed to give me the stink eye.  He must stay at least arms length away from me at all times.  When I take out treats, and sometimes when I feed the girls, I make him stand back until they are done.  I do allow him to mate the girls when I am in the pen.  But, if he gets overly H***y, it's time for both of us to get some exercise.  I like to use a thin fiberglass post with a reflector on it.  But, really, I don't need anything.  We just take a few jogs around the coop.  Where ever he goes to get away from me, there I am.  I can move pretty fast for an old biddy.  One afternoon, I chased him into the coop, shut us both in there, then chased him into a broody pen.  I let him cool his jets overnight b/c he'd been a bit too amorous. He was the perfect gentleman the next morning.Other discipline methods include pecking a young roo with your finger, chest bumping him with your hand, grabbing him by the hackles and pinning his head to the ground until he submits, holding him and pushing his head down until he willingly keeps it down.  I use these methods with feisty hens.    Beware of the poster who recommends letting the roo flog you as a way to "get it out of his system, and come to the conclusion that there is no purpose to be served in flogging you".  While that may condition the roo to not flog you, it won't train him that all humans are off limits.  

IMO, if you spend some time training a roo, and he continues to demonstrate unacceptable behavior with humans or hens or chicks, it's time to replace him.  There are so many roosters who are good roos that need a good home.  Don't waste a lot of time on a roo who is aggressive.  Those tendencies can be passed on to the next generation.  Better to cull the mean ones, and breed gentle roos into your flock.

Thank you, Lazy. All of your posts are very informative. I'm almost positive on which one of my 5 week olds is male. He's very friendly now but I know that can change when hormones kick in. He always jumps up in my lap when I let him outside. I guess I will stop allowing this. I'm hoping because they are silkies they may have better temperaments. But now I know what to look for.