The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Yeah, the 10 month old has been penned and he hasn't grown up/out of it. He was the DW favorite, and I would like to use him for breeding, but it may not be worth the hassle. I have culled cockerels at younger ages for similar behavior. I was hoping against hope this one would get to stick around. but he isn't getting the point.

I like to give them a longer time to mature before I make my final decision if I have the pen space. Some roosters take up to 2 years before they settle down totally. It's possible with more time in the pen he might improve.

I pen mine where they can interact with the flock through the fence which seems to force them to develop manners and some social skills because they have to call the girls over if they want to impress them. Some roosters aren't given free access to the hens until they are nearly 2 years old.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Yeah, the 10 month old has been penned and he hasn't grown up/out of it. He was the DW favorite, and I would like to use him for breeding, but it may not be worth the hassle. I have culled cockerels at younger ages for similar behavior. I was hoping against hope this one would get to stick around. but he isn't getting the point.

I realized I contradicted my original answer by say by 10 months most traits are set, which is mostly true. You do need to factor in that this is your cockerals first spring as a mating birds. Sometimes they get a bit hormonal and overzealous.

A few of my younger boys are suddenly acting out a bit, so it's to be expected somewhat during their first spring. A decent rooster should appear at that age to look out for the hens and to find them food. A bad rooster will merely mate and feed himself. Many poorly acting young roosters can be turned around by waiting for them to fully mature.

 

[chickforchicks]

I've read that the many of the rooster's traits are passed down to their chicks. If he doesn't figure it out soon I don't know if I'd want to breed him. I am by no means an expert. My rooster recently became a dog treat and I'm new at this chicken stuff. However, I read that information from someone on this site, not just my nugget.

 

[CuzChickens]

Human body temp is 98.6*F  Skin temp is 92.3 - 98.4*F.   A chicken egg requires 99.5* to hatch.  While it might, theoretically be possible, I expect the most likely outcome would be a bra omlette, or a deformed chick.  If you can find documentation of a successful 21 day hatch, it might be an amusing read.  

There was a thread where a lady hatched two eggs in her bra, but people kept on making inappropriate comments so they took it down, here is what came of it:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/184655/where-did-our-body-heat-incubation-people-go
Somebody else tried, I didn't read to find out if it worked.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/609915/bra-incubator
This one was incubated the last two days
http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Story/Booblet/Booblet.html
This one got to ten days
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/843704/incubating-in-my-bra-an-experiment/240
So I guess I haven't found real proof, but it has happened once, I know I saw it. Lots of women make it the first week or so with their eggs and then they die, or some incubate eggs the last few days....

 

[lazy gardener]

Quote: Which is not real incubation. In order to claim success, it needs to be start to finish, yielding a healthy, viable chick.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@JanetMarie

I asked about this on another thread but wanted to post here too.

I've not heard about Colloncas....can you give us an education on the Colloncas? From what you said before they are monogamous? You have my interest piqued!

Do you have a good link to recommend if we want to read further?

 

[Molpet]

@JanetMarie

I asked about this on another thread but wanted to post here too.

I've not heard about Colloncas....can you give us an education on the Colloncas? From what you said before they are monogamous? You have my interest piqued!


Do you have a good link to recommend if we want to read further?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1082166/chicken-breed-focus-colloncas

 

[JanetMarie]

@Leahs Mom There are a few threads to read about Colloncas. What is the negativity about birds in general that you were referring to on the other thread?

 

[JanetMarie]

The colors are not good, even though I tweeked it. Anyway, here is my good boy, a mostly buff Orpington mixed cockerel. He is such a good boy, and so good to his four hens. Here he is in the breezeway looking for a spot for the hen to lay an egg.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@JanetMarie

I was just saying that I agree with you that I don't like to have chicks or birds shipped. I've driven many miles to pick up chicks that I wanted so they didn't have the stress of shipping.

I did look a bit at the Colloncas at the byc thread. I think it would take a bit of getting used to for me not to have tails! Just seems like one of the prettiest parts is missing

Anyhow, I'm looking forward to you reporting on your experience with them. I'm going to need to get a few colored egg layers in the next year or so. Also...curious on what kind of price you had to pay for the eggs.