The Omega Rocks: The Last & Ultimate Barred Plymouth Rock Flock

[speckledhen]

Definitely think long and hard about it. I think a rooster that size could easily knock me over, or at least trip me as I tried to fend off an attack. If something happens to you Cynthia than all your chickens may have to go.

Not sure about you Cynthia, but for me falling down is a big deal these days. It takes a while to get back up, and if there was an aggressive rooster after me, I'm pretty sure one of us ain't getting back up.

Aggression of any kind takes the joy out of the hobby. Perhaps if you keep in your head you could always get more eggs to hatch and try again than it might help. I don't like getting down to the last one of anything, but sometimes we have no choice.
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You are right about me having to get rid of all my chickens if I get seriously hurt. My husband can't do it and if I was incapable of taking care of them, or worse, died, you can bet he'd give them away (except for his favorites who are all old and on their way out anyway). I've fallen far too much on this property, but never because a rooster attacked me. It's never been an issue for so many years and I don't want to devolve into that situation again.
I have been very fortunate to have so many well-bred roosters in regard to temperament. I always had a policy of breeding only from the non-aggressive males and culling the others. That has given me the best roosters anyone could ask for. Thankfully, until this group grew up, I had not had to deal with anything like that in many years.
I hate that I feel I wasted all my time, love and money and it may end up with just three laying hens. But, I can't operate like it's 2005 anymore as far as to what I can do and can't do. If I end up with no roosters at all, I will be forced to go back to sexed pullets in hatchery stock and choose the ones that are not horribly inbred, the less common ones or just know I'll lose those to reproductive issues like I lost the EE hens so early and the splash Cochins with whatever that genetic condition was. At least none of those roosters ever showed one ounce of aggression toward anyone but each other occasionally.

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

Oh sh-t! Please excuse my language, but this is SERIOUS. You are getting into dangerous territory here. I know we've never met but I've been following along here for a lot of years so I think of you as a friend and, as my friend, it's time for you to hear some hard words from me. Please understand that it comes from a place of caring.

These eggs were not a good move for you, Cynthia. You've become too invested in the chicks they produced. But pretty roosters are not enough without the right temperament. The hens are good--great even. But ditch Nathaniel, go forward with Angus. if Angus goes the the way of his brother, scrap the line. But whatever you decide to do, do NOT put yourself at risk. You WILL find another rooster if you need to or even still want to. But the line you're dealing with now is spoiling the great fun you've had with your birds. Think of that for awhile. If Angus works out, great. If not, MOVE ON.

Rusty

 

[speckledhen]

Oh sh-t! Please excuse my language, but this is SERIOUS. You are getting into dangerous territory here. I know we've never met but I've been following along here for a lot of years so I think of you as a friend and, as my friend, it's time for you to hear some hard words from me. Please understand that it comes from a place of caring.

These eggs were not a good move for you, Cynthia. You've become too invested in the chicks they produced. But pretty roosters are not enough without the right temperament. The hens are good--great even. But ditch Nathaniel, go forward with Angus. if Angus goes the the way of his brother, scrap the line. But whatever you decide to do, do NOT put yourself at risk. You WILL find another rooster if you need to or even still want to. But the line you're dealing with now is spoiling the great fun you've had with your birds. Think of that for awhile. If Angus works out, great. If not, MOVE ON.

Rusty

Rusty, I appreciate all you've said and I cannot disagree with any of it. I have always been such a stickler for proper rooster behavior, which is why all the others from this hatch are now gone, not just for aggression but also for nutty, unexplainable behavior.

I have no doubt that you are saying it from a place of love and concern so thank you. I can't tell you how much I have valued the opinions and support of the people who hang out on my threads, some that I have known for almost two decades. I have had such great success with different lines of BRs, but the trait I would never compromise on has always been temperament and I shouldn't do it now, either.
A good temperament is paramount in a flock like this and should be for every breeder and that line for me has always been drawn way before what Jamie calls a "manfighter". It's this type of behavior that usually ramps up to full-on aggression. It rarely stays at this level and I think you'd agree.
Sadly, I feel it's inevitable that Nathaniel is going to leave here. I hope Angus works out as well as he is now, but as you said, if he doesn't, I have to scrap the line.
Honestly, I don't know why I even tried to do this again. It was a learning experience, but I may just chalk it up to bad luck and ditch the entire project. There is only so much I can deal with at this point in my life. I need chickens because I enjoy them and I need eggs.That's it. Thank you, Rusty. I appreciate you.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Cynthia we always want to relive what we had the most fun with in our lives, especially as we get older. I'm finding the second or even third time around isn't at all the same. You had a great time with your other barred rocks and had hoped these new ones would bring the same joy, but as things always are, they are their own adventure.

I had such a great time with my first flock of turkeys, that my current flock can't live up to. I just don't like them like I did my original flock. I keep hoping to reenact that feeling. I'm getting more and more nostalgic as I get older about everything.

I too have had to start thinking about what is practical now and going forward. Have you ever considered bantam barred rocks? I always wanted to try those.

I'm personally fighting with downsizing. Every time I get to a reasonable number I bury myself again, but it's not as sustainable now, especially in winter. I gotta grow up at some point. At least for some things. Big rooster scare me these days. So bantams for me only going forward.

 

[speckledhen]

Right again, Lisa. I'm not sure what I want at this point. I need laying hens because we eat a lot of eggs every day. If I explore bantam breeds, they will be clean-legged. I like the bantam Cochins a lot but the feathers hide too much and spurs get much too long before I notice them. I'd rather not have ultra-broody types because I'd end up with more roosters I can't get rid of. So, I'd have to think on that more. I know the difficulty you have downsizing. You know I can empathize with that!

 

[NanaK]

Just catching up.
So sorry to read about Tally. RIP sweet girl.

Downsizing? I've been trying to do this for about 3 years now. lol Come winter I always end up with 20+ birds. I don't think I've quite grasp that concept yet. Who knew hubby would get chick fever last spring??? So again I am integrating pullets into the main flock and have 3 cockerels in a bachelor run.
He's taken a serious interest so there's that.

I have only dealt with one agressive rooster so I can not offer much advise there. I've been fortunate with that. The main thing I think I learned was it made chicken keeping "not fun" real fast. I will never let it go very long again.

I once wanted to breed Marans and Cream Legbars. Over the years that has become less important to me. I want to remove unnecessary stress from my life. Breeding can be stressful. I don't want to handle the hatching proper breeding takes.

Now I just want happy, healthy hens that lay eggs.
I would like to keep 1-2 of those cockerels. They will decide who if any stay. I am to a point breed does not matter to me.

Remember, do what is best for you. Make it easy for you to care for your flock. Then you can enjoy them much longer with less stress.

 

[speckledhen]

Thank you, @NanaK. It only takes one ornery rooster to ruin a day or even the hobby for life. I've had only two total so I've been fortunate otherwise. Not bad for 20+ years with all the different types and lines and chicks that have come through this place. Nathaniel has done nothing else untoward yet, but I've been too busy to hang around him much since he did that thing with the bucket. I take buckets in and out of the barn as well as their pen every morning and he's shown no issue with them. I think the bucket was used by him as a barrier between us to protect himself when he rushed me, or that's how it seemed. If he wants to play with a bucket, he's welcome to attack it all he wants as long as I am not holding it. He is on serious probation for the moment, though I more think it's the chopping block. Angus has been a mannerly guy so Nathaniel's behavior suffers by contrast. They're stuck inside today, cold rain out there so I'm writing my novel, almost at the end now, whew.

I once wanted to breed Marans and Cream Legbars. Over the years that has become less important to me. I want to remove unnecessary stress from my life. Breeding can be stressful. I don't want to handle the hatching proper breeding takes.

Now I just want happy, healthy hens that lay eggs.
I would like to keep 1-2 of those cockerels. They will decide who if any stay. I am to a point breed does not matter to me.

That is where I am now. I did want to pare down to one breed, period, but this entire project seems it was doomed. And it started out so well with a 100% hatch on shipped eggs, an attentive breeder available to me, etc. Even he can't fully predict what happens in these situations, but he had numerous birds to choose from and if one turns bad, there are many to take their place. Not here. I can't do breeding groups anymore unless I'm just propagating new stock for my own use here and then, it would be whatever rooster I have over whatever hens he has. Healthy hens for daily eggs and maybe a rooster-guardian for the flock is all I can handle with my life now. I was downsizing, but I took the hard way to that goal, I guess.
Thanks for coming back to catch up, appreciate it!

 

[speckledhen]

For your entertainment.... I have watched this several times already, LOL. I have a stalker, too. Her name is Dove. No, Nathaniel doesn't count!

 

[Mother of Chaos]

For your entertainment.... I have watched this several times already, LOL. I have a stalker, too. Her name is Dove. No, Nathaniel doesn't count!

This was cute. But why did the YT creator cut off the song when it was getting good?!

 

[speckledhen]

Well, it was a short and they always end too abruptly. I loved that! I like his Mary, she's a chunky gal! Remember Hector's original hens were Mary, Thea and Jill. Mary died for an unknown reason at about a year old, bloated up and we couldn't save her. Thea died at about 4 yrs old having raised chicks. Jill is still here. I knew that girl would outlive them all, including Hector. She is a cantankerous wench, that one. She is sweet with me, but terrorizes her mother and Zara. She's getting over her molt, but has to gain her weight back after the feathers are fully back.