The Genetics of Temperament - Anecdotal Notebook

[LaurenRitz]

Interesting thread. I've been keeping chickens now for a little over three years and I've been doing it more or less identically since the very beginning-
When my original flock came of suitable age (maybe three months) I simply set them outside and there my flock remains to this day. They're hands off, completely free-range, sleeping in trees

I note that your bio simply says "North America." What kind of environment do you have? Cold? Hot? Grasslands? Lots of trees? Predator load? I am curious as to why you think this worked for you.

 

[No Coop No Problem]

I note that your bio simply says "North America." What kind of environment do you have? Cold? Hot? Grasslands? Lots of trees? Predator load? I am curious as to why you think this worked for you.

I'm in a heavily forested swamp in the southeast

I didn't know what I was doing at all to begin with, I think I just got lucky by being given gamefowl randomly in the very beginning and also having good vegetation on my property

Tough chickens plus trees functionally similar enough to the bamboo that wild junglefowl use has proven effective

 

[LaurenRitz]

The bird in question is ((JG x RIR) x RIR) x Rudd Ranger. There is no telling what lines went into the Ranger. But his father, g-father and gg-father were all chosen for good behavior.

I knew someone was disturbing the flock, and I suspected him because the senior hens were avoiding him.

I heard one of the chicks (12 weeks?) screaming. He would mate with her, let her run, chase, pin her down, mate, chase, etc. With her screaming the whole time. He was treating it like a fun game. A good dozen grown hens and pullets around, some of which did let him mount, and he goes after a chick. Her comb hasn't even started to turn pink yet.

He's in the bachelor pad for the duration. She's still injured and struggling to walk.