Simulated Natural Nest Incubation~Experiment #1 So it begins....

[LindaB220]

Here's an interesting read, Linda: http://www.usask.ca/wcvm/herdmed/applied-ethology/Bottle-raised males can be very dangerous.pdf

Flock management is serious stuff if one wants to delve into it and really study their birds and interact with them more on their level. I believe that is why I've never had bullying, feather picking, integration problems, manfighter roosters, pecking order issues, etc.

One can study behaviors and either deal with them or cull them from the flock and the genetics....but every rooster is going to have a surge of hormones eventually as he becomes sexually mature and this is to be expected. If we kill every rooster feeling his oats, then soon all we will be breeding is roosters with low testosterone levels.....and that won't last for long, for obvious reasons.

I wonder how people would react if someone suggested killing every dog that~ while he was eating~ growled or lunged at a human who came near, without even trying to train the dog about this issue. Sure,if you truly put in some training time with a rooster and it doesn't yield good results, go ahead and trim his neck...and rightly so...but kill every rooster who is indulging in normal rooster behavior and is confused enough to turn it on a human? Not a good idea.

This is very interesting. Learning a lot.

 

[BaileyBoy]

so far so good, 28/35 are growing

 

[Cowpoke]

Great little video! You sure captured it. Thanks for posting it and Good Luck with the hatch!

 

[aussie pete]

Pete, most of the people I know with BA roosters report more aggressive behaviors from them than other breeds they have....do you see that at all in your breeding stock birds?

never had to school either a Australorp or a light Sussex in my birds,my australorps r very feisty towards other poultry thru the fence but neither breed has ever shown any aggression towards ppl.

on another note just went to check temp etc on incubator - have one chic out & 5 external pips,only end of day 20 plus 2 hrs

pics later

cheers
Pete

 

[RoseMarie1]

Bee, the joy in your post has made my night... I am so happy for you that your eggs are developing.... don't apologize for sharing your joy!

oh fisherlady is right! We LOVE sharing your joy with you!!! Sooooooooo mega excited for you and hope they ALL hatch out this time and you have more than you know what to do with.

 

[Beekissed]

That's exciting news, Pete! Are these chicks from a breeding project you are doing to develop a line or are they just for selling? I think that is what I would like to do if I could dedicate time to one breed...I'd like to keep developing the traits I want but also sell breeding pairs to others so that they could have or start a better flock than what we have access to here in this state.

Now that I have a way to incubate that suits my style, I'm going to try getting good eggs from a great breeder so I can start something great here in the backwoods.

 

[Beekissed]

oh fisherlady is right! We LOVE sharing your joy with you!!! Sooooooooo mega excited for you and hope they ALL hatch out this time and you have more than you know what to do with.

Thank you, Rosemarie!

I'll know what to do with them! I may sell some as "designer chicks"

after I have my pick of the litter, or I may grow them out for eating. That seems the more humane solution as I have seen what people call good flock keeping in these parts and it would make you cry.

I showed my ol' Ma one of the chicks swimming around in the egg and she was charmed! These chicks are so very vigorous that I cannot wait to see how well they do at hatch and beyond. It's incredible to be able to have a window on their growth.

 

[RoseMarie1]

I'll copy a post I wrote from another thread....it may sound at first like it doesn't apply but the training technique does. I hope it helps you!

saving that one Bee for reference. Thanx! This 2nd roo that I kept tried attacking hubby the other day. He's never done that with me. ???? I have noticed though that he has started mating the hens close to me but not like right under me. If it's within 5-6' from me I have started running at him to make him stop and by the time I get there he's done.

Just wondering WHAT hubby does differently than I do? This has just started within the past month I guess. He's been tending to them so I don't know IF he has left his stick and not doing that or what. But he HAS started using it again he said. I've taken back over since he had his surgery last week though and been watching the old roo to see what he's up to. He's wanting to hang around me when I am out there but still hasn't tried anything. Hubby is passive so I'm figuring that's what's going on that the roo has picked up on that and started trying to be his boss. ARG I got him running from me but he did start to flap a wing at me the other day when I ran him off and when he did I ran at him again and he left dodge. lol

I took care of the roos spurs a few weeks back but he has knocked one of them on something and blood was all over his foot last night when I was in the roosting area trying to hammer those oyster shells. I dashed water on it to wash it off so the girls wouldn't smell the blood and peck at it or anything. I have those wire grazing frames in there so I am wondering if he hit the edge with it or something to get it to bleeding.

 

[aussie pete]

That's exciting news, Pete! Are these chicks from a breeding project you are doing to develop a line or are they just for selling? I think that is what I would like to do if I could dedicate time to one breed...I'd like to keep developing the traits I want but also sell breeding pairs to others so that they could have or start a better flock than what we have access to here in this state.

Now that I have a way to incubate that suits my style, I'm going to try getting good eggs from a great breeder so I can start something great here in the backwoods.

thats basically what i do, keep developing my birds to keep the good traits& breed true ,keep a few to continue with ,sell the rest to others

when my first chic hatched humidity jumped from 45% to 71%

first chic out





can just see external pip on top of middle egg on right


cheers Pete

 

[RoseMarie1]

thats basically what i do, keep developing my birds to keep the good traits& breed true ,keep a few to continue with ,sell the rest to others

when my first chic hatched humidity jumped from 45% to 71%

first chic out





can just see external pip on top of middle egg on right


cheers Pete

aweeeee how sweet. LOVE that incubator!!! I like to be able to see what's going on in there. NEAT one!!