Tell me all about incubating

[MGG]

I'll have to check my calendar but I believe she was hatched mid april. Started laying about a week ago

Cool! What about your younger 5?

 

[MGG]

Mine's only 17 weeks

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Cool! What about your younger 5?

9 or 10 weeks. Still peeping we had never had rooster chicks before and it had been a while since we had chicks. We just assumed the breed was...more rambunctious...then once we realised the truth and I bought all pullets...THE DIFFERENCE. So chill. So quiet. None of the running at me or pecking me...now I'm confident I can tell the difference between a roo and a pullet by 4 weeks

 

[MGG]

9 or 10 weeks. Still peeping we had never had rooster chicks before and it had been a while since we had chicks. We just assumed the breed was...more rambunctious...then once we realised the truth and I bought all pullets...THE DIFFERENCE. So chill. So quiet. None of the running at me or pecking me...now I'm confident I can tell the difference between a roo and a pullet by 4 weeks

Awww! Yeah, BR girls are usually super docile. Boys are crazy little suckers, lol!
That's awesome.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Awww! Yeah, BR girls are usually super docile. Boys are crazy little suckers, lol!
That's awesome.

Our BR roo is named Quasi short for Quasimodo because he arches his side when you walk by. Again never had a roo before but I have come to understand that is an aggressive behavior. However when he does it I do so as well and it leads to him fleeing in fear. At which point I pick him up and pet him and tell him what a good boy he is.

I'm sure he is unwilling to admit it but he does enjoy being picked up and pet. Ive had him fall asleep in my lap and he has only bit me once when he was younger and was defending the one hen because I was picking her up

 

[MGG]

Our BR roo is named Quasi short for Quasimodo because he arches his side when you walk by. Again never had a roo before but I have come to understand that is an aggressive behavior. However when he does it I do so as well and it leads to him fleeing in fear. At which point I pick him up and pet him and tell him what a good boy he is.View attachment 2355381
I'm sure he is unwilling to admit it but he does enjoy being picked up and pet. Ive had him fall asleep in my lap and he has only bit me once when he was younger and was defending the one hen because I was picking her up

Aw, he's a pretty boy. I love his name too, it's funny. Does he ever kinda scuffle with his wing down on the ground and dance in a half circle? I'm sure there's a name for it, but I can't think of it atm. Anyway, I used to have a roo that did that to me. He never got any more aggressive than that though. Roos are tough to raise, I always think the girls are boys and the boys are girls. Then I cuddle the boys too much and they turn out mean. I'm waiting to see how my first batch of broody raised cockerels will be. They're extremely skittish right now. My buff brahma bantam roo is perfect around me and the ladies, but he was raised in a bachelor roo flock at my friend's farm. He fertilizes the eggs just fine somehow.
How did you raise him? Were you more hands-off or did you cuddle them more? I'm trying to find a good way to raise somewhat tame nice boys.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Aw, he's a pretty boy. I love his name too, it's funny. Does he ever kinda scuffle with his wing down on the ground and dance in a half circle? I'm sure there's a name for it, but I can't think of it atm. Anyway, I used to have a roo that did that to me. He never got any more aggressive than that though. Roos are tough to raise, I always think the girls are boys and the boys are girls. Then I cuddle the boys too much and they turn out mean. I'm waiting to see how my first batch of broody raised cockerels will be. They're extremely skittish right now. My buff brahma bantam roo is perfect around me and the ladies, but he was raised in a bachelor roo flock at my friend's farm. He fertilizes the eggs just fine somehow.
How did you raise him? Were you more hands-off or did you cuddle them more? I'm trying to find a good way to raise somewhat tame nice boys.

The dance you mentioned is exactly what he does. Keep in mind that I had 11 roos and he was the only one that did it. As far as raising it was pretty much hands off. We couldnt tell them apart and knew some (understated obviously) would be roos so we didnt want to get too attached. When it came to selecting who to keep he was in the running because he was the most picked on by the others. Our options were "Crooked Toes", Quasi or White Meat. W.M. ended up being the roo I tried to rehome on here because he was not purebred. CT was my favorite for a while...until he bit me. I gave my favorites 3 strikes. W.M never bit me, Quasi once but CT made it to 3. I dont think it really matters how you raise them. Each bird has its own unique personality. W.M got his name because he had an all white breast and was a HUGE jerk as a chick but when he was the last to crow and was very sweet. Its strange

 

[MGG]

The dance you mentioned is exactly what he does. Keep in mind that I had 11 roos and he was the only one that did it. As far as raising it was pretty much hands off. We couldnt tell them apart and knew some (understated obviously) would be roos so we didnt want to get too attached. When it came to selecting who to keep he was in the running because he was the most picked on by the others. Our options were "Crooked Toes", Quasi or White Meat. W.M. ended up being the roo I tried to rehome on here because he was not purebred. CT was my favorite for a while...until he bit me. I gave my favorites 3 strikes. W.M never bit me, Quasi once but CT made it to 3. I dont think it really matters how you raise them. Each bird has its own unique personality. W.M got his name because he had an all white breast and was a HUGE jerk as a chick but when he was the last to crow and was very sweet. Its strange

Haha, yes. The dance is so goofy. It looks like they're tripping over their wing or something. Ok. You're right about personalities. I'll just have to see how the chicks are. I am pretty terrible at vent sexing LF chicks, but I have no problem and usually about 95% accuracy vent sexing quail and bantam chicks. Otherwise I was going to try to brood all of the boys separate from the girls and see if that made a difference.
I love your boys' names
I've seen that a couple times too. The boys are jerks as "teenagers" then turn out super sweet and respectful.
I guess it's just a toss up.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Haha, yes. The dance is so goofy. It looks like they're tripping over their wing or something. Ok. You're right about personalities. I'll just have to see how the chicks are. I am pretty terrible at vent sexing LF chicks, but I have no problem and usually about 95% accuracy vent sexing quail and bantam chicks. Otherwise I was going to try to brood all of the boys separate from the girls and see if that made a difference.
I love your boys' names
I've seen that a couple times too. The boys are jerks as "teenagers" then turn out super sweet and respectful.
I guess it's just a toss up.

Only some of them recieved names. Because we couldnt keep them all. My fiancee got mad at me for naming them...BUT HE was the first to name one! The two big jerk roos we had were named Kyle (he named him) and Dave (named after an ex of mine) the other 6 were unnamed. The female of the bunch was named Starlight, Starbrite

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

I also think their personalities respond to the pecking order. It's not what WE do its what they learn from the flock.