AUTZ
Chirping
We've had chickens for years of all different breeds Regular & Bantam, Egg Layers & Ornamentals. We incubate & sell in large & small quantities to backyard flock keepers & those who keep larger flocks, BUT...
This fall we've had a first. I ordered from a hatchery a couple Full sized Ameraucana (sp) cockrels. We have both Easter Eggers & the Ameraucana breeds (for those who don't know, no they aren't the same, ugh) .. anyways...
Their "hatch day" was August 3rd, 2018. Two and 1/2 weeks ago, one of them actually began to try & crow. He's fully crowing now and trying to breed our Pullets (some of which were ordered on same hatch date & some incubated around the same time older & younger).
In all our years, we've NEVER seen this before! Has anyone else ever had a cockrel to mature so early?
To say the very least, it's caused an uproar in the "play pen" & our acre chicken yard! The big hens act as if he's lost his ever lovin mind. Big Daddy (Our Head Rooster) runs over when the hens fuss at him, but he kinda scolds him never really challenges him.
But, little fella, whom I'm rather inclined to call Napoleon
, is bothering the pullets. Not overly so ...not yet, but I see it coming. I hate to cull him already without giving him a chance because he's a real beauty. But, if he's going to be overly aggressive, he's gotta go. That's really why I'm asking if anyone has seen this before. Does this early maturing equal massive aggression? His "brother" hasn't even tried to crow yet so I'm inclined to believe he's going to be "normal". He's also a beauty, but we'd like to keep both if possible. I just need to know if there's hope for this raskell or not or if anyone has advice or experience.
Thanks!
This fall we've had a first. I ordered from a hatchery a couple Full sized Ameraucana (sp) cockrels. We have both Easter Eggers & the Ameraucana breeds (for those who don't know, no they aren't the same, ugh) .. anyways...
Their "hatch day" was August 3rd, 2018. Two and 1/2 weeks ago, one of them actually began to try & crow. He's fully crowing now and trying to breed our Pullets (some of which were ordered on same hatch date & some incubated around the same time older & younger).
In all our years, we've NEVER seen this before! Has anyone else ever had a cockrel to mature so early?
To say the very least, it's caused an uproar in the "play pen" & our acre chicken yard! The big hens act as if he's lost his ever lovin mind. Big Daddy (Our Head Rooster) runs over when the hens fuss at him, but he kinda scolds him never really challenges him.
But, little fella, whom I'm rather inclined to call Napoleon
, is bothering the pullets. Not overly so ...not yet, but I see it coming. I hate to cull him already without giving him a chance because he's a real beauty. But, if he's going to be overly aggressive, he's gotta go. That's really why I'm asking if anyone has seen this before. Does this early maturing equal massive aggression? His "brother" hasn't even tried to crow yet so I'm inclined to believe he's going to be "normal". He's also a beauty, but we'd like to keep both if possible. I just need to know if there's hope for this raskell or not or if anyone has advice or experience. Thanks!
