Surviving Minnesota!

[BantyChooks]

Centrachid on here has a theory that brooder babies with lots of attention become demanding and forceful with the food lady. They are dominating I guess from the ‘rooster talk’ thread.

Sounds about right to me. He's another good one with roosters.

 

[MNChickMom]

Elise did you raise him from a chick so he was socialized with you?

Centrachid on here has a theory that brooder babies with lots of attention become demanding and forceful with the food lady. They are dominating I guess from the ‘rooster talk’ thread.

I think what you did with your boot is now in order. A little lift under the breast, rotation fluff over tea-kettle to humiliate him in front of the girls. Might have to prove yourself a couple times.

Do you have kids? Arm them with switches and be with them and show them how to gently move your rooster aside.

If you have children (even visiting children) I have found giving them a small childrens plastic shovel. The shovel is a little larger but still light weight in case the kids aim is off.

 

[duluthralphie]

One should never spare the boot on a deserving rooster!! (said by this old wise man living in the banana belt)


Layers, I would move the broody hen into a Box/cage that is very windproof, if possible with a ceiling/roof on it. Put a door on it so you can lock her in it. Maybe even another heat source, pad light or something for when the babies hatch.

I rear my babies outside, in a "coffin" to start with at a couple weeks I open a door to a larger cold are. I move the feed and water out there as they grow. With the it close to the door to the heated area.

They learn fast to come out eat and run for the heat. I later open up a third cold compartment for the. I have two of these. The one allows me to heat the two end units so I can raise two batches at once. You should construct something similar so the chicks do not die on you. Good Luck

 

[Elise Ferguson]

Elise did you raise him from a chick so he was socialized with you?

I did raise him from a day old chick. My 6 year old was actually tasked with holding the chicks every day.

I did topple him over a bit with my boot this morning and he gave me a wide bearth after that. He's definitely not as bold outside of the coop and I haven't noticed any aggression towards the kids but my 3 year old is already pretty dominant with the pets, he won't hold them but he tends to move them around and scold them, heh.

Anyways, I keep on my game face and see how it goes.

 

[BantyChooks]

but my 3 year old is already pretty dominant with the pets, he won't hold them but he tends to move them around and scold them, heh.

That's good news. Moving around them is probably the fastest way to turn a rooster bad that I know of.

 

[I Love Layers]

Back in October a friend texted me that her silkie had snuck 3 eggs and hatched. I thought a broody could take care of chicks in any weather.

Not always. She found one chick lifeless. And the other two not doing so hot. Just a matter of moments playing and zooming in the cold they were in trouble. The new mother couldn’t carry or lift them back to the coop. So this lady did take the chicks from the hen and is brooding in the house.

When you want to have chicks in the winter you need a game plan for the animals’ welfare.

On day 18 I am moving them into a building with a light for sure. I have had a few accidental hatches in November and December and thats what I have done. I think I might just move the hen inside earlier at about day 10-15 anyways

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Roger, The Big Tootsie. My NH was a spoiled brooder baby. Held.

During his hormonal cockerel fall he flogged and bit me several times in the hand. I decided to carry him around during chores. He bit me in the face and drew blood.
This was my rooky season with birds. I was determined to socialize him. That's all he needed.
Watch your little guys. I love that he stands his ground, that's good. But one bad peck to the eye and that's it.
Cockerel brains are going through something right now. And the lovely person that fed them as babies - he could care less (sad but true ).

Not until I found the bamboo and rolled that bugger several times did he finally back off of me down at the coop. Kids should be taught the switch. Fluff taps & pushes out of the way (not head whacks) -- you know what I mean. And probably until he gets through next spring and settles into summer, those kids should have a stick at the coop.

 

[I Love Layers]

Elise did you raise him from a chick so he was socialized with you?

Centrachid on here has a theory that brooder babies with lots of attention become demanding and forceful with the food lady. They are dominating I guess from the ‘rooster talk’ thread.

I think what you did with your boot is now in order. A little lift under the breast, rotation fluff over tea-kettle to humiliate him in front of the girls. Might have to prove yourself a couple times.

Do you have kids? Arm them with switches and be with them and show them how to gently move your rooster aside.

I have found the same thing with chicks handled a lot. They get demanding. My most aggressive was a Silkie rooster who was handled daily as a chick. A few good tosses in the air with the boot ended it

One should never spare the boot on a deserving rooster!! (said by this old wise man living in the banana belt)


Layers, I would move the broody hen into a Box/cage that is very windproof, if possible with a ceiling/roof on it. Put a door on it so you can lock her in it. Maybe even another heat source, pad light or something for when the babies hatch.

I rear my babies outside, in a "coffin" to start with at a couple weeks I open a door to a larger cold are. I move the feed and water out there as they grow. With the it close to the door to the heated area.

They learn fast to come out eat and run for the heat. I later open up a third cold compartment for the. I have two of these. The one allows me to heat the two end units so I can raise two batches at once. You should construct something similar so the chicks do not die on you. Good Luck

I have a XL wired dog kennel I use in the winter when I hatch. I put a heat lamp on top of it and with a heat lamp that room stays pretty warm. I might move her tonight though.

 

[holm25]

@Elise Ferguson just keep on his butt and make sure he doesnt act stupid to anyone. There is too many good roosters to keep a mean one around.

 

[holm25]

He got a lot of chicks from me at the Hutch Game Breeders swap in 2016....

If I am remembering correctly he is the guy I got my Partridge Silkies from at an Auction...