Possible breeding program

[LaurenRitz]

I think the timing for the young (almost 15 weeks old) cockerel's injury was bad. He was just learning respect for both me and the ladies, his mother still protecting him from the rest of the flock. He's been in pseudo-isolation since the 1st of February, isolated with his brother during the day and in the coop at night.

Last night he got hold of my pantleg and was fighting it. This morning he came out of the coop latched onto the tail feathers of one of the girls and running for all he was worth.

He'll be going in the bachelor pad tonight. I guess his leg is feeling better, if he's getting frisky.

The other boy is still running away, which is fine.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Good chance that the Biel x BA cockerel is at the shallow end of the gene pool. Last night he got hold of my pant leg and was fighting it. I assumed because he couldn't see, as I got out there well after dark.

So tonight he did it again, and this time he could definitely see. Just grabbed a mouthful of cloth and started flapping around and beating at my leg with his wings.

I wasn't able to get the bachelor pad ready today. So that's tomorrow's task. Silly bird. Hopefully he'll grow up. I don't want to lose the Bielefelder genes.

 

[LaurenRitz]

3 week update:

I must have done something funky with the scale last week, because this week they're all in the "layer chick" weight range. All between .4 and .49 pounds.

Based on the charts I found, male and female weights start to diverge around week 5.

 

[LaurenRitz]

All 7 on the edge of the bin. Their outside area should be ready tomorrow. The bin is just not big enough any more.

I may have 6 cockerels. 3 are certain. 2 are not showing a comb yet.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Today the babies have the run of the greenhouse, since their outdoor space isn't ready. I'll bring the bin in overnight and put it out again in the morning. They need to be out of the bin by Tuesday, because that's hatch day for the new chicks. I need to empty and sterilize the bin.

They could probably use it for another day or two, since the chicks will be in the "observation" brooder for the first few days.

The space I had intended to use is ready, but unfortunately I learned that the wind just howls through there so I need to finish the broody box, which is a little more protected.

 

[LaurenRitz]

This is the Dad of the 4 week old chicks.

 

[LaurenRitz]

I am pretty sure the Biel x BA cockerel is going to need to be culled. He's 20 weeks old, already aggressive toward me, chases the girls down, and then yesterday I saw him drag one of the hens out of the nesting box to mate her.

Um...no. So he is in lockdown for the duration. In a month or two I'll see if he's grown up any, but I suspect not. At the moment I am considering this a grow-out period until he is old enough to harvest.

Although watching him attempt one of the hens only to literally fall off on his face had to be one of the funniest things I've seen in a while.

Which leaves me with only one Biel x cockerel, the Jersey Giant cross. I still have the possibility of Biel crosses, since I gave the pullets on that line to a friend.

I am seriously considering bringing in an adult rooster that fits the project criteria, one with proven non-aggression.

 

[LaurenRitz]

I got the chicks last Friday. The Rudd Rangers are pretty aggressive in pursuit of food, and also the first to go scratching after it. They will peck at my hand if it gets between them and the trough. If I ever raise them again it won't be in a mixed group, and just based on current behavior I strongly suspect I won't be keeping any of the cockerels.

The Buckeyes are always falling asleep. The Marans prefer to scratch for their food rather than eating out of the feeder, but that might be because the Rangers are hogging the feeder.

The Speckled Sussex aren't showing any specific personality yet. They're smaller than the others.

I let the older chicks out on grass for a few minutes yesterday. It was interesting to watch them. As mentioned before, I am evaluating for good behavior in the cockerels. There are two I am sure are pullets, likely three but the third is uncertain so far.

One of the girls is bold and free, always moving beyond the flock boundaries. She was first out of the coop, first to fly up to the edge of the brooder. This is expected with the JG behavior. A couple times last night she got too far away, and each time there was a flurry of wings and two or three of the young cockerels would chase her back to the group.

It appears that at least 3 are already showing "herding" behavior with the girls, and twice one of the boys called and the whole group scurried back into the brooder.

This is at 5 weeks.

 

[LaurenRitz]

I was watching the week old chicks this morning. One of the Buckeyes was sprawled out in the sun, just chillin. Here comes one of the Speckled Sussex, creeping up from behind.

Pokes the Buckeye in the butt and runs!

 

[LaurenRitz]

I separated out the Rudd Rangers into their own bin. I didn't see any bullying going on, or actively blocking the food, but they're so much bigger than the others that they block simply by being there. A lot of the smaller chicks were staying away when the RR were eating. Which was most of the time.

The Buckeyes are nearly as large, but not as obsessed with food.