What to Look for in a Broody Rooster

[subhanalah]

All of my games appear to have the capacity for it. It is predictably demonstrated when male is confined close to brood when they first hatch. The imprinting part is important for process to work/

it probably comes along with their need to determine friend or foe with extreme prejudice.

 

[centrarchid]

it probably comes along with their need to determine friend or foe with extreme prejudice.

I am not following you?

 

[subhanalah]

I am not following you?

chickens can remember up to 100 individual's faces (chickens) it is tapping into the "tribal" instinct this imprinting and brooding behavior, I think....

 

[centrarchid]

They can remember at lot more faces than they imprint on. They also learn rivals. Voice seems at least as important as visual ques.

 

[subhanalah]

I'm really glad this was linked to in the other thread.

I have some pretty nice cockerels who seem pretty protective over all the younger chicks, maybe like big brother?

 

[centrarchid]

We are day four into incubation. The hen is very consistent about how she is oriented on the nest. I think she sits so she has the best view of her surroundings. Eggs are already getting that polished look you never see in the incubator.

 

[centrarchid]

First my wife says I am in deep shirt. Slugger is spending a big chunk of his day shirting on her favorite lawn chair in a big way. Additionally out almost 12-month old daughter toddled over and started eating the shirt. Wife had trouble believing it until she saw our daughter's lips. Prior she though it was strictly a little boy habit. She will stops once she eats a cecal poop, those taste nasty according to her brother.

I put out feed later in day than usual for the house flock. Slugger pointed out the armed feeding station to the brood and they ran over and he stepped back so they could eat. Then ancona ducks came over to share causing the brood to produce the aggression calls as they were pushed off feed. The aggression calls brought Slugger in and he went after the ducks in a big way but he did not eat any of the feed. Every time the ducks approached and the brood gave the call Slugger would come and do the brood's bidding.

Shortly after I put another pile of feed out about 6 feet from the feeding station. Slugger walked over and checked it out but said nothing. Then I poured about 50 mealworms out near the pile of feed and Slugger immidiately gave the tidbit call causing entire brood to rush over and consume the mealworms. Slugger did not consume a single mealworm and made the call only for the treat.


FInally, we had first predator loss in nearly 6 months. Ralph, harem master in pasture got taken out. Very close by I found clutch of eggs that that had been brought out and bitten to expose contents that were sucked out. All that was left of Ralph was feathers and killer had to struggle so my guess is fox. Kill sight was beyond where I want birds to go because dogs too stretched out to defend that area. The flock currently lacks a harem leader and Slugger promptly tried to move in. This could be a major problem because Slugger will get into it with penned games. House flock is going to be penned tomorrow so I can get another harem master lined out for pasture flock. It cannot be a game yet it must be tough enough for Slugger to respect his ownership of pasture.

 

[aart]

......

I put out feed later in day than usual for the house flock. Slugger pointed out the armed feeding station to the brood and they ran over and he stepped back so they could eat. Then ancona ducks came over to share causing the brood to produce the aggression calls as they were pushed off feed. The aggression calls brought Slugger in and he went after the ducks in a big way but he did not eat any of the feed. Every time the ducks approached and the brood gave the call Slugger would come and do the brood's bidding.

Shortly after I put another pile of feed out about 6 feet from the feeding station. Slugger walked over and checked it out but said nothing. Then I poured about 50 mealworms out near the pile of feed and Slugger immidiately gave the tidbit call causing entire brood to rush over and consume the mealworms. Slugger did not consume a single mealworm and made the call only for the treat.

.....

Fascinating observations in a semi controlled environment.

 

[centrarchid]

Fascinating observations in a semi controlled environment.

The gamehens do all of above until chicks weaned but continue to drive away competitors until a day or so before they become broody. During the interval between weaning and becoming broody the hens do feed aggresively alongside their young which is required while they are in lay.

Slugger is operating on low fat reserves so he is a little underweight. There is a lot more hen-like attributes a cock takes on than we realize when offspring are involved.



I penned house flock in garage for day so new pasture harem master can be established. New guy is going to have to fight Slugger briefly by fenn then I will release Scoob to break it up, several times until Slugger again decides it is not worth effort. Dog can convince the game rooster but I cannot for the all the efforts I have invested.

 

[centrarchid]

Slugger is starting his eclipse molt. Shorter / dark / rounded hackle feathers are coming in. He is going to start getting ugly.