What to Look for in a Broody Rooster

[centrarchid]

The father is still broody as sin. I want to start collecting feces to see how it is impacted by feed applied so roosting up is being pushed. I collected rooster and placed him in a cage on desired roost. He gave the roost call which resulted in 4 of the eleven juveniles coming up to roost with him outside the cage.. The balance moved to another location under the bicycles and Christmas tree.

He clearly tries to get young ones under him at least as much as the hen does.

 

[centrarchid]

I brought back a cock from a field day event and had him in a dog carrier. Carrier was placed with elevated position near house. Every time cock in carrier made a sound Slugger ran in the direction of the carrier. Slugger even came at me trying to get at carrier and flogged me briefly. Clearly associated me with carrier because he complete ignored my son that was playing near his young and an obstacle Slugger had to pass to get to me.

 

[centrarchid]

Starting to roost up. All but one juvenile was roosting top on box where cage was located with father the night before. Remaining juvenile was in nest with parents. Parents were keen on staying with nest.

Tomorrow I will remove nest and juveniles at least will likely roost on sawhorse since it is close to current desired roost.

 

[centrarchid]

As of this morning the mother has begun pecking and chasing her juvenile offspring that approached her. She did some of that right under Slugger's nose. He adopted an alert posture but did not intervene. From this point he will be his offsprings' best adult friend.

Blanch must get first brood to stay away once she begins brooding second clutch.

 

[centrarchid]

Last night just before going to roost the cockerels got into a rumble. Pecking order was quickly sorted out without the damaging battle royals that so frequently happen when young are raised without an adult male around.


As of this morning the juveniles are foraging in a much more loosely organized group but they still seem centered on father and in communication with each other. As they hawked for insects this morning the birds most distant from each other could still hear and with a little effort see other at most 200 feet away.

This is also the age that Mr. and Ms. Fox will be more problematic as the young birds are prone to split up making snatch and grab easier and dog's countering abilities slower.

 

[centrarchid]

Clutch size is 13 eggs as of last night. Only one juvenile roosted with parents while the other 10 roosted on a cage about 6 feet away. This morning juveniles and both parents foraged yard after heavy rain event. They had to split up and look closely because wet insects are not conducive to hawking.

Blanch is not getting "bally" yet which I think occurs the day she is to set clutch and go broody.

 

[centrarchid]

Mother set and began incubation today. Question to be answered is did she set with 13 or did she lay one more before the broody condition manifested.

Note the absence of feathers around nest. Odds are she will attempt a third brood and then feathers may be evident assuming her molt is not arrested.

Father is now the single parent and 10 of 11 surviving juveniles went to roost with him this evening. The eleventh found a spot a few feet away because the sawhorse is too tight.

During the day the juveniles and their father stayed relatively close to house, possibly because Slugger was waiting for Blanch to rejoin the harem for the purpose of foraging. The second brood should hatch on roughly the 25th of June when the first brood will be pushing 10 weeks. Slugger will then have a conflict of interest where first brood will be hard on second if they have the chance to be. Blanch will not be so conflicted and will hammer her older offspring if they get too close.

 

[centrarchid]

Blanch came off nest early this morning. Walked a good 75 feet from nest and dropped one of those massive turds then proceeded to feed frantically. Slugger perched himself in an elevated location (wife lawn chair so I am in trouble) to survey area. Juveniles walked over hill into road and across into neighbors pasture. Without dad they are hawk bait still.


Slugger made not attempt to cover Blanch. Blanch was not all balled up.



She has fourteen eggs in nest. I wonder if she will lay one more.

 

[centrarchid]

By end of work day no additional eggs (N = 14) and she is back to incubating after at least an hour off nest this morning.

At roosting time juveniles piddled around garage until their father went to roost, then they followed him up. This time all eleven fit on sawhorse.

 

[centrarchid]

Blanch came off nest very early and fed up within about 20 minutes. Slugger tried to cover her but she would not allow it. Blanch trilled at her juvenile offspring displacing them from the feeding station as Slugger looked on. Once she finished the juveniles pecked at it lightly before Slugger called juveniles in tight and they proceeded to walk up hill for more productive foraging. He clearly directs where foraging is to be focused. They are now loafing most of in a male sumac patch and ducks follow them to it. Very soon hawks will be visiting and juveniles are still small enough to be vulnerable to Coopers Hawks but Slugger if close will talk to the hawk telling it to go elsewhere. Red-tailed hawks will be more trouble but dogs can help with those pretty well and dogs to listen to Slugger just like they do with flocks in pasture.


A couple hens with chicks keep approaching the yard but I am pretty sure Slugger is warning them off as well. Those are taking advantage of several acres made more accessible by a change in mowing strips serving as paths.