Your Plans For 2020! (Chat/Discussion)

[luvmigirls]

I understand your desire to just have some mature hens laying eggs. I feel that way too, and definitely easier! Roosters, IMO, will have a 'alpha'. if you have two who want to be top dog, they fight bloodily. I have culled all my nasty roosters over the past many years and chosen breeds who are known to be personable (welsumer, Wyandotte). So far, so good with the new hatches. I propose that Dads more calm behavior does trickle down the genetic line! A good roo is hard to find, but hes out there. make sure your roosters let you pick them up without biting you, or jumping at you, etc. You want a rooster who knows that You are the alpha!

I want a good rooster at some point, so I'm not raising chicks anymore. (I don't actually like raising chicks. ) If I can keep both long term that would be great, but even if I have to choose between them, I wont be able to make that choice until they are roosters. Some people have had good luck with a bachelor pad, allowing conjugal visits with the hens from time to time for fertilized eggs. I'm exploring that idea too.

 

[igorsMistress]

Here's my continuing saga of trying to keep 2 cockerels and hopefully have a bachelor pad at some point for them. I was seeing some beginning signs of hormones in Mad Hatter the head cockerel, so that's why I wanted to get the pullets out of there a couple days ago. As already discussed that didn't work out. But, this morning when I went out to check on them, Mad was jumping on everyone in sight, and then going around and doing it again. I decided to take him out of there before someone gets hurt. So now I have one run with 2 pullets and a cockerel, and a separate run with Mad and unfortunately he is now back in the old prefab I was going to get rid of. Glad I didn't take it out yet!

Oy! Never had so much trouble bringing in a few chicks! But, in the past I haven't kept cockerels, so it's my new learning curve. All advice welcome!!!

Keep in mind what works for one may or may not for you and you might have to try a few things. It sounds like you're on it though, good luck!

 

[abpatchy]

2020 is going to be exciting and a big learning experience! The first time I'll be breeding starting January. The first eggs will go in on the 26th. I've never bred chicks yet... and these will be for show. So I am just excited!
I am raising Sulmtaler for show, I have 2 roosters and 8 hens at the moment. Since this is all new to me I am just guessing on 60-70 chicks. Maybe more, maybe less depending on how things go.
I got a brand new Heka 1+ incubator (in case anybody is curious)---> https://www.heka-brutgeraete.de/Bru...ca-100-Huehner-oder-ca-170-Zwerghuhneier.html It fits up to 108 eggs.
Can't wait for the little fluff balls!!!

 

[ValerieJ]

I understand your desire to just have some mature hens laying eggs. I feel that way too, and definitely easier! Roosters, IMO, will have a 'alpha'. if you have two who want to be top dog, they fight bloodily. I have culled all my nasty roosters over the past many years and chosen breeds who are known to be personable (welsumer, Wyandotte). So far, so good with the new hatches. I propose that Dads more calm behavior does trickle down the genetic line! A good roo is hard to find, but hes out there. make sure your roosters let you pick them up without biting you, or jumping at you, etc. You want a rooster who knows that You are the alpha!

Both of them allow me to pick them up. The other cockerel is a week younger and Mad Hatter is very protective of him. There is no fighting between the two of them. TBH, I think Mad is just trying to tell ME he is the dominant and jumps on everyone in an ownership sort of way. I don't mind him taking them all as his own, especially to protect, but I don't want them getting hurt while he is figuring out how to do that.

In the past I have culled every cockerel too, but this time I will work hard to make it work. If it does, great! If not, so be it. Thanks for the advice! I need all I can get!

 

[ValerieJ]

Keep in mind what works for one may or may not for you and you might have to try a few things. It sounds like you're on it though, good luck!

Thanks for your encouragement! I may confuse the heck out of my chickens, but definitely willing to keep trying something different until I get this figured out.

 

[luvmigirls]

Kudos to you! I wish you the best of luck Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Both of them allow me to pick them up. The other cockerel is a week younger and Mad Hatter is very protective of him. There is no fighting between the two of them. TBH, I think Mad is just trying to tell ME he is the dominant and jumps on everyone in an ownership sort of way. I don't mind him taking them all as his own, especially to protect, but I don't want them getting hurt while he is figuring out how to do that.

In the past I have culled every cockerel too, but this time I will work hard to make it work. If it does, great! If not, so be it. Thanks for the advice! I need all I can get!

 

[ValerieJ]

2020 is going to be exciting and a big learning experience! The first time I'll be breeding starting January. The first eggs will go in on the 26th. I've never bred chicks yet... and these will be for show. So I am just excited!
I am raising Sulmtaler for show, I have 2 roosters and 8 hens at the moment. Since this is all new to me I am just guessing on 60-70 chicks. Maybe more, maybe less depending on how things go.
I got a brand new Heka 1+ incubator (in case anybody is curious)---> https://www.heka-brutgeraete.de/Bru...ca-100-Huehner-oder-ca-170-Zwerghuhneier.html It fits up to 108 eggs.
Can't wait for the little fluff balls!!!

Nice incubator! Good luck with your plans!

 

[abpatchy]

Nice incubator! Good luck with your plans!

Thank you!

 

[MROO]

Here they are!

The male I see currently going through a partial moult so looks a little tatted.

View attachment 1986588
View attachment 1986589
View attachment 1986590
View attachment 1986591
View attachment 1986592
View attachment 1986593

OhMaGosh! I LOVE the big blackberry-walnut comb!

 

[Trevorusn]

Both of them allow me to pick them up. The other cockerel is a week younger and Mad Hatter is very protective of him. There is no fighting between the two of them. TBH, I think Mad is just trying to tell ME he is the dominant and jumps on everyone in an ownership sort of way. I don't mind him taking them all as his own, especially to protect, but I don't want them getting hurt while he is figuring out how to do that.

In the past I have culled every cockerel too, but this time I will work hard to make it work. If it does, great! If not, so be it. Thanks for the advice! I need all I can get!

They can get there, this is fairly typical cockerel rambunctiousness. Mad Hatter is also learning, the mounting is part of it. He won't be very gentle at first and rather awkward but will refine his suave style with age. Missing feathers is part too as long as no blood or injuries occur. You'll get it, you got some plans and flexibility so you have a good foundation to build on.