What to Look for in a Broody Rooster

[centrarchid]

I'm sorry to hear about Slugger and the other chickens.  Slugger was a good rooster . He taught me a lot with your help.

Bobcats are formidable predators.  I'm glad I don't have to worry about them around Michigan

Slugger had a pretty good run and he has brethren more than ready to fill the void.


You have bobcats as well, even if in town. After all this time with them it has been the first lost I have attributed to such. No more losses since which may be due to my taking dogs on more frequent patrols of the brush country. I think the bobcat's take of Slugger was incidental as the cat was probably looking more for the abundant rabbits.

 

[centrarchid]

Point to note on Slugger's juvenile sons. They are hostile when they get the chance towards their chick siblings. Even though jerks now they will mature into good-natured adults just like their father.


Blanch hammers her older sons whenever they get too close and even the chicks sass their elder siblings so long as mother is near. All will be well between by weaning time as second brood will integrate nicely with their older siblings by about September when Blanch may attempt a third brood if I do not intervene. Blanch is proving to be a sound mother in terms of behavior, health, and number of healthy chicks. She nicked well with Slugger in regards to resistance to cocci. She also shows restraint in not flogging my 1-year old daughter that follows brood around like a miniature King Kong.

 

[subhanalah]

 

[centrarchid]

All but 3 juveniles of first brood have been penned or culled. Blanch has only six chicks remaining. All birds are going off property into neighbors fescue field to forage. They are doing so in a location where a juvenile barred owl hunts in late evening and morning unless chased out by great-horned owl and in particular the nose of a juvenile red-tailed hawk. So far no losses but it is only a matter of time before hawk gets ballsy and makes a go for someone. This evening I will put a bullstag out over the yard flock so he can provide some hawk cover. Birds even now are not totally unprotected as dogs are more than willing to get involved but rooster might be able to prevent contact between hawk and other chickens.

 

[centrarchid]

New harem master has been selected and acclimated to garage for a single day before being released for about an hour. He imprinted quickly on new location. He is Slugger's son by way of an unplanned pairing that occurred last September which by date alone had him culled from breeding pens. He is also a bit of a basket case and will require some work to get him past his city-slicker / cockyard only rearing. He spent all of his adult life and all of his rearing confined to a pen with his mother as her only offspring. He never flew more than six feet in any direction and had never even walked on anything but cut grass. He is ugly as sin and in eclipse molt feathers as well. He has not experienced much love but starting tomorrow I will be getting him to man-up. He also needs to be tested around my kids. Overall he is currently on par with something like a dual purpose yard chicken you might get from a hatchery so we will have to see how capable he is of learning new tricks.

 

[katbriar]

This is a fascinating thread. Thank you for sharing your observations.

 

[centrarchid]

Last nite Blanch roosted up with brood 2 which is roughly at three weeks post hatch, much earlier than with brood 1. Later broods in a season seem prone to roosting up earlier. I usually associate such with higher night time temperatures in the late season.

 

[centrarchid]

The new harem master is imprinted on location but has not begun to invest in anyone so far. Neither hen responds to his tidbitting calls. He is roosting not two feet from blanch and brood 2. Only one cockerel remains from brood 1. another cockerel and pullet were donated to university for us in an educational display. All birds except brood 2 chicks are showing signs of heat stress. Foraging is now restricted to early morning hours and the last two hours before dark.. This made possible by increasing available insect biomass, especially in the form of grasshoppers.

 

[centrarchid]

New harem master has begun imprinting process on brood 2. Blanch and brood 2 also respond to his tidbitting which is genuine. One chick lost to fox yesterday. Fox came again today about same time but dogs appeared to be ready and drive it off. Fox is a juvenile and taking a very big risk going after birds under dogs' watch. Chicks also no roosting under mother's wings and still appear heat stressed when I just checked them. Brood 2 has only one juvenile brother from brood 1 remaining and he is beginning to hang out with them for part of the day. Even he is getting along with chicks.

 

[centrarchid]

Fox came in again. It appears to be targeting ducks but seems scared of grabbing them making me think it is young for sure. It came in twice within a 30-minute interval. Fox ran right past game hen that simply hunkered down and let fox run by after duck. On both chases dogs went after fox by scent to to south but it appears to come out of north when making a sortie on yard flock. Fox(s) not going after cockyard flocks at all which is were dogs can corner one easier to catch it. I am not certain only one fox. Dogs are positioning themselves in shade where they can see everything. Heat so oppressive dogs take dip in pond after each chase.