young brahma roo behavior*update 2*

[artsyrobin]

ok, i have a young brahma roo, just started noticing the girls about 2 weeks ago, for the most part he hasn't been mean, but is enthusiastic.
felt sorry for my little cochin girl, the roo was in the mood, she wasn't and she raced down the porch ramp- sliding cuz it was slick, across the creek into the bushes with him right after her, he bopped her on the head a few times to tell her who is boss i guess- this is the same little one the first roo de-feathered, he was very aggresive and is now in the freezer, so she is pretty skittish- out of the 5 hens, only three will even look at him, the other 2 will chase him off, then we have three pullets coming into egg laying in the next month, so maybe it will give PJ the cochin a break. Wondering since they are supposed to be gentle, is this just part of his learning curve?

this is her back, after the bath- i can't blame it on Barny, she was pretty stripped by the first roo,

the girls all have saddles now, so they are protected, just wondering if this is temporary?at2

 

[gritsar]

He just needs more practice and for all those hormones to settle at a more stable level.

 

[artsyrobin]

Thanks! was hoping it was just a overexuberant teenager thing...

 

[Chickenaddict]

I agree with gristar he just needs a little more time. I have a young light brahma cockerel who is also still working on being a gentleman but he is coming along nicely, little rough at times but has began finding treats for the girls and digging nests for them when they want to lay an egg.

 

[artsyrobin]

he is making progress, noticed today one of the girls that has been avoiding him was real sweet to him today, and when he did go to her, barely ruffled a feather, so there is hope- and he is finding treats for them- hopefully it is a short learning curve- watching them freeranging is really beautiful- the brahmas are quite a bit larger, have read also you rarely have a hawk issue with brahmas around- anyone heard that?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Never heard that, but I want to see the hawk that could pick up this guy:

Then again, maybe I don't!

Hawks can cause death even with a miss, by ripping the head and neck apart.

 

[artsyrobin]

Wow! What a gorgeous roo! i am continually amazed at the beauty of these brahmas.. here is my barny- he just is getting taller and taller... he's 6 months old

 

[gritsar]

Barny is very handsome.

It took my Thor around 18 months before he finally stopped growing.

 

[azygous]

It's definitely a learning curve.

This recent fall, my SLW roo Stan discovered sex. His egg mates were just learning to lay, and his adopted older sisters, three Light Brahmas and one very elderly Arcana, all were not in the least interested in his advances.

The Brahmas would chase him and peck him when he tried to climb aboard, and the Arcana would jump into my arms when he tried to zero in on her.

The young SLW pullets had no idea what he was trying to do, and he was quite rough and clumsy with them since they hadn't learned to "assume the position" yet, and they'd attempt to wiggle out of his embrace, so to speak. He solved it by clamping down on the back of their necks with his beak and literally flinging them under him. There were a few feathers lost in the process, and I was properly horrified, since I too, was new to this whole business of chicken sex.

I know you'll be relieved to hear that it only took Stan a couple short days and he had the young pullets trained to squat if they saw him coming, and his mount and dismount was as smooth as silk!

The Brahmas still hate his guts, though, and he's given up on the elderly Arcana.

 

[artsyrobin]

yep, it is a bit of a shock...

i originally got the 3 brahmas from a friend who swore they were pullets- sigh- so i have 2 brahma roos, one brahma pullet and the others- luckily the brahma boys get along so far, i have not handled them, after making that mistake with the previous roo... they will run up to see what i'm doing, but don't like handling- which i guess is a good thing

poor stan, glad he's figuring it out-