The 6 rooster delemma!

[bobbi-j]

People will disagree, but while chickens should be calm around you, they don't really develop a trusting relationship with you. They have a very small brain. If I wanted to keep that cockerel, I would walk up to him, untill he moves. I would insist that HE kept a distance of 4-5 feet away from me. I would not make a pet of him. I don't want them terrified of me, but I do want them respectful of me and other humans. A violent, aggressive rooster is a very scary animal. They can do serious damage, and have ruined the whole experience for a lot of people.

If this is your first year with chickens, I would cull all of them, and get some experience.

Mrsk

Agreed.

 

[wingedshade]

This weekend has been busy, so I haven't had a chance to reply until now. I really appreciate all of the input everyone has given. I hope to give more detailed replies tomorrow.

Although after what I came home to tonight, getting rid of the roos is looking like a good idea. I'm pretty sure this is from one of the big boys trying to mount her. These younger girls don't submit and the roos don't let go! I had this happen to 2 of the turkens, but they were not this bad.

I rinsed the wound out and applied some antibiotic salve. I put her into a recovery cage in the coop.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

@wingedshade Sorry for that poor girl. Hope she recovers quickly. When you put her back, if the others peck at her you can try Blue Kote. Thanks again for sharing your thread, I hope it is helpful to you as well. You might consider separating the boys instead of her, since they could do that to other pullets.

@Mrs. K Thank you tons. While I was watching chicken TV yesterday, what you said clicked and I think I understand. I have raised chickens for 4 years now, but until this year didn't have the wonderful BYC community. This is my first year with roosters/cockerels as we have decided to raise our own heritage meat birds . I take good advice to heart and chew it over until it sinks in. I knew by your response to the OP about culling the friendly one that you had a very good reason. So rather than brushing it off when I knew I was looking at a friendly roo, I needed to know why because it is much easier to learn from someone else mistakes if you can. I think I can, I think I can!

It gave me a whole new light to look at my boys in without favor going to the friendly. And I was going to let 2 stay that I don't want to breed because I don't mind them. But I think our conversation has convinced me that no one stays without a purpose at this early stage of rooster keeping, as it is more stressful on the rest of the flock to have all those raging hormones around. Probably more stressful on me as well. Also, I used to step gingerly around them all to not be startling when they are laying down. But I now see how that is the wrong approach! I have enough pets (yes 3 shelter dogs), So now I know, we can hang out together like a flock, the way my others come and sit in the general vicinity but hop away if I reach for them. Even a nervous chicken flapping and clawing to get away can feel plenty painful so I am sure it could be much worse if their was intent behind it. Can you tell me... do you think I have grasped your advice or am I blindly missing something clouded by my own thought process? Much appreciated!

 

[wingedshade]

It would be so handy, if your egg laying rooster just produced pullets, and your meat rooster just produced roosters.

Mrs K

Yeah, that would be awesome!

I actually agree with Mrs. K.

I think all the mixed breeds will give you to many variables to achieve your breeding goals. And I also think it is very difficult to pick a roo when young because they change so much.

All though leghorns will give you plenty of eggs and are light eaters, they aren't much for meat. Neither are the legbars they are crossed with. And plenty of chickens lay just as well.

It's my understanding that you should never breed a bird that has been sick. And to me, that includes being to weak to make it out of the egg shell.

This may be out of order or unorganized. But if a bird bites when I pick it up, I give it a good peck! Then in the next few days I follow through, picking up and testing. Anyone who continues to bite is SOUP. To me it's an indicator of aggression towards you the keeper. Unacceptable!

Out of the ones you have listed.... Buck or Dodo sound like they fit the bill for DP best out of the given choices (to me). Buck should give you decent eggs and body size, but I am unsure of the aggression level at maturity. I have only had barred and not roos. Dodo should give you a good carcass size as well. I don't have experience with the brahma. I have 3 buff right now and 2 of them are on the menu as they are not my breeders and definitely boys. Funny the first on your list to get rid of was the first I thought you should keep!

There are other things you should look for as well before you decide. Split wing, sprigs, slow feathering or late bloomers (can't tell gender at same age as the rest), just to name a few. Some how, I would think the heavier breeds would fair better in Alaska.

You already have your girls, but I was gonna say you should also consider broodiness. To me, having a hen raise the meat birds so I don't have to provide heat or clean an extra brooder is a plus. And you and I both have enough girls not to have to worry about them all being broody at the same time.

Incidentally I also am a raising DP flock. I have many breeds of hatchery pullets with a Lavender Ameraucana over them. I am not planning to hatch those out. I also have birds from breeders for my pure hatching/eating stock. French Black copper Marans are supposed to be a good DP breed with the darkest brown eggs and flavorful meat. And the breed I am currently in love with, Swedish flower. I keep separate pens for them.

One question is, if you are planning to process your birds anyways.... why not process the ones you are currently considering selling? Even the smaller ones will have some meat on them. People even process their extra bantams.

I also agree with whoever said the chickens may not come out of the coop in the winter. With over an acre of free range, my birds regularly hang out inside even during good weather, by choice! I guess it's a compliment that they are comfortable and happy in there.

One last thing, don't you guys get pretty cold up there? With so many birds in your coop, ventilation is the key to avoiding frost bite (in case you didn't know).

Ok, I lied. 1 more last thing. It's important that you ENJOY the birds you keep! Both their personalities and their eye appeal.

Good luck! (sorry so long, I am passionate about breeding. Would not breed hatchery birds by choice.)

Don't worry, I enjoy reading long posts! There are so many points to cover here. I have (kinda) taken into consideration the mixed breed aspect and I'm curious to see what will happen. As for Zippo's egg rescue, I don't know how much of that is genetic and how much is from incorrect humidity in the incubator. Right now he's top dog, but I have no idea how that will extend to his offspring. Most of my girls are medium/heavy, but obviously if I add leghorn to the mix that will diminish. The mixed boys sisters are BCM/legbar crosses(I've got 2). I think the pullets are more useful being sold, as it is 3 are sold already and someone is interested in the others. I seem to think the last flock we had came and went in the coop in winter, but new chickens, new setup so things may be different. And lastly I have plans to add more ventilation!

Now I'm just being a bully!

Sorry, but another thing I was thinking is that I don't prefer the feathered feet when its wet, as in the Brahma... might be a consideration for your location. I will see how things go with the French Marans this year and then adjust my plan as needed.

I just try to share as much information as possible so people can make their decision... well, informed. But I am not a know it all and am just trying to share the thoughts that cross my mind. Since that is why we are all, to share our experiences and learn from each other.

That's cool, I posted this for brainstorming! I've had brahmas before, I don't think I had problems, but this coop and yard are different. I also have two BCM/legbar pullets, both have sparsely feathered feet.

As the above poster said, nothing about roosters is carved in stone, but a lot of times, a darling rooster is the most curious, comes out to meet you, often times will sit on your lap. You think the rooster likes you and is friendly, but chickens see this behavior differently. They see this behavior as you accepting the submissive position in the flock. When they come into their own with hormones and especially if they have been raised with just flock mates and no older birds, (older birds school chicks in proper respect for old birds, and how to behave in chicken society, and those roosters are not the biggest in the flock and don't get everything their way).

Juvenile roosters raised up with flock mates, rapidly out grow the pullets, they come into sexual interest much sooner than the pullets, and they can bully their way with the pullets. This gives them a false confidence, and they begin to try and bully people too, Usually attacking small children first, then women, then men. They have no real fear of people, because people have been nice to them. Chickens equate fear with respect.

Now it is not always this way, but there are a LOT of posts on here, where the darling became the nightmare to ignore the possibility. Many times the rooster has been giving clues, but inexperienced people do not recognize them. People on here, whom I respect as people with a great deal of experience, myself included strongly recommend not making pets of roosters, walking through them, and even chasing them a bit. A rooster should move off FROM me, he should not crow at me, and he should not fluff up his feathers at me, or look challenging at me. And he should not sneak behind me.

Mrs K

I'm running into that problem with the older 3, on the plus side they and their 2 sisters are keeping the younger roos in check. I'm used to at least one a**hole roo per flock, when growing up I just figured that was a given. I will not hesitate to chase and catch someone who is giving me problems. A boot is also useful.

Thank you for sharing. I hadn't considered those. It would be fun to hear if that was what the OP's source was doing, and how those project turned out.

I thought of OE as being Am X BCM.... Now I see the possibilities! That's why I asked.

I figured any blue/green layer mixed with brown would be and OE. And any mixed breed blue/ green layer would technically be a EE. Although when someone says EE I do think of the classic Amerucana crosses! I think consistent production and healthy birds are currently my main goals for now, but I do love a colorful variety in chickens and eggs

 

[wingedshade]

@wingedshade Sorry for that poor girl. Hope she recovers quickly. When you put her back, if the others peck at her you can try Blue Kote. Thanks again for sharing your thread, I hope it is helpful to you as well. You might consider separating the boys instead of her, since they could do that to other pullets.

I was doing that at first, I'd round up the boys in the morning and put them in a separate pen. But I recently got ducks and they are in that pen for now. Once I integrate the ducks I can start putting the obnoxious ones in there again. I do have blue kote, I know that colors the wound purple but I would like to give her some time away from flock first. The picture didn't do it justice, there was a whole lot of loose skin and fresh clotting. I sniffed it to check for infection. Strangely, yet unsurprising it smelled like raw chicken.