Overall he looks good. He looks like he is getting a nice chest on him. Nice barring. His tail looks like some of mine, with feathers that stick straight out instead of curving down nicely. Nice lift to the tail, though. A lot of them seem to just go straight out, like a Rhode Island Red.
What do y'all think of this young cockerel?
Kenny.
The main tail feathers are to stick out straight (at the appropriate angle). The tail sickles and tail coverts are the curved feathers. His looks typical of so many Barred Rock males like him.(he actually is growing some mains here) There are very few that will get decent tails on them it is something one has to put lots of pressure on in their breeding efforts to get to come out in a good way. Its hard to judge a picture esp on a screen but other than his feet looking too white (on my screen) he is not bad I'd use him if he's all I had to go with.
What do y'all think of this young cockerel?
Kenny.
Quote:
Originally Posted by desertmarcy
Overall he looks good. He looks like he is getting a nice chest on him. Nice barring. His tail looks like some of mine, with feathers that stick straight out instead of curving down nicely. Nice lift to the tail, though. A lot of them seem to just go straight out, like a Rhode Island Red.
I'd like to see his wing tucked up a little tighter. Can't tell from this photo, but make sure he is square and that his legs are straight, not knock-kneed. Legs look a little pale, but could just be the photo.
I've had egg eaters before and have been successful in getting them to stop by moving them to another pen. When a CONFIRMED egg eater goes to a new pen, the entire pecking order is upset and typically, the newbie is on the bottom - at least at first. In any event, it's normally enough of an upset for the eater to be moved that it becomes the last thing on their mind. After a few weeks of non-eating of eggs, I move her back to the original pen she was in. Just a thought! Sorry you're dealing with it. It rots to be sure.I was out feeding this morning and saw one of my Black Copper Marans hens lay an egg. I have several Marans mixed in with my older Barred Rock hens due to pen space and I'm not breeding right now. Right after she laid, one of the Barred Rocks went over and pecked her and chased her out and went immediately into the nest box and pecked open the egg and started eating it. At first, I thought she just wanted to lay, and was just moving the egg around, because I was in another pen and couldn't really see, but then I saw several of the other hens rush over to partake---so I knew right away what she did. I rushed over there to grab her so I knew which hen was the culprit. I wish I had seen that 2 days ago, she could have been included in this latest butcher run I just did yesterday. Now she is taking up a pen which I need for other birds. Guess I will need to do some more butchering soon. Wouldn't you know it, she was one of my nicer hens, but I can't have any egg eaters here. If I had not been there right at that time, I would not have known since the shell and all would have been gone, they were all having a feeding frenzy over it. So frustrated.
Yes a lot of times just a change up such as you described or confining them like that will "bust them up" they are very much creatures of habit and any little disturbance will change them up a lot. I have found to that those egg eating frenzies/episodes I can make dents in by supplementing extra(more available spots) oyster shell or by giving them a supplemental type feed along with their regular rations some times its acase of them missing something(diet wise) that causes this and too, there are the ones that are determined egg eaters too no matter what you do (more of that habitual stuff). I'd try to break her esp if she's part of the creme de le creme before lopping off her head good breeders are hard to get.J/SI've had egg eaters before and have been successful in getting them to stop by moving them to another pen. When a CONFIRMED egg eater goes to a new pen, the entire pecking order is upset and typically, the newbie is on the bottom - at least at first. In any event, it's normally enough of an upset for the eater to be moved that it becomes the last thing on their mind. After a few weeks of non-eating of eggs, I move her back to the original pen she was in. Just a thought! Sorry you're dealing with it. It rots to be sure.
