Possible breeding program

[LaurenRitz]

I need to scratch a curiosity bump. I have been told (and observed) that hens usually dismiss young cockerels.

Well, looks like I have a two generation anomaly. I currently have eggs in the incubator for a targeted JG x RIR back-cross.

The JG grandfather was amazing, once he got past the bratty teenager phase. Intelligent (for a birdbrain), polite, took care of his ladies but no sign of human aggression. He died defending his girls from a dog.

His son, JG x RIR, seems to have taken his father’s intelligence and amped up the good behavior. He’s 20 weeks old and has already become the flock master for a group of mature hens. He wing dances and finds treats for the hens, and if they refuse his advances he accepts it. He also ignores the young pullets.

I never saw any bullying or "teaching him manners." He was born after his father died, so no teaching going on from that angle either.

I am hoping for a high percentage of cockerels from his eggs so I can sort out those that carry these traits.

What is it that makes one cockerel unacceptable and sees the hens readily accept another? I have never seen another cockerel this age who wasn't a jerk, so that's probably part of it.

 

[LaurenRitz]

7 chicks hatched for my JG x RIR back-cross. One has splay leg and curled toes. Another has just curled toes. I suspect both of these are hatch injuries, as they were the two that had difficulty with their hatch. One zipped perfectly but was wedged into a sort of corner. The other zipped out the side of the egg and couldn't get leverage to get out.

Of the 7, three hatched black, two hatched brown, and two hatched pale brown/yellow.

All of the first generation chicks hatched black.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Not absolute, but I think this is a male (the yellow) and a female.

She was distressed because I took her out of the bin. When I put her back, he herded her into the corner and stood guard, which is exactly what their father did.

Their father, at 2 weeks. The other two are his sisters, the one in the back just a few days old.

 

[LaurenRitz]

JG x RIR, first generation were all black (as expected). However, second generation segregated out to three basic color types as chicks--yellow with black head markings, brown with chipmunk stripes, and black.

I identified the yellow with black as going back to the leghorn. I just looked at pictures of Malay chicks, and it looks like at least in chick color they segregated to the originals 2nd generation.

If JG genetics included only dark birds, there probably won't be a visible division on that side.

 

[LaurenRitz]

One of the black babies has white eye markings.

Another has red markings in exactly the same place.

 

[LaurenRitz]

The two Biel x cockerels are growing their boy feathers! They seem to have established their relationship as well. The JG cross appears to be the alpha.

No fertilized eggs yet, but I don't expect that for a while, since the older of the boys is only 16 weeks. Still, two of the hens are joining them on the roost. Interestingly, it is the two physical mothers.

 

[LaurenRitz]

The younger of the boys was limping pretty badly yesterday. I snatched him off his roost and couldn't find anything wrong, but he's lying down at every opportunity. He lies sideways, to keep his weight off that leg.

Since the Beast chases him pretty relentlessly, I opened up the outside door of the coop and left the boys in the run for today.

He ate like he was starving this morning.

I told the Beast yesterday that someday soon they'll be chasing her, and they'll treat her the way she's been treating them. I don't think she believes me.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Three of the five girls are back on the roost since I got rid of the Dom x cockerels. So progress in that sense.

Not sure the injured boy is going to regain his confidence. He seems to be just as passive as his Dad. The other girls were pecking at him yesterday and I think I see the problem. Because he can't move easily he's spending most of his time on the ground, which means he's below their eye leve

 

[LaurenRitz]

Two week update

Of the 7 chicks, weight on 4 is right where it should be for layer breeds at +/-.25 lbs or .115 kg. This includes all three of the black chicks and the palest of the lighter chicks.

The other three are slightly higher at +/-.375 lbs or .17 kg, between week 1 and 2 if they were broilers. They are visibly larger as well.

 

[LaurenRitz]

There is a quart bottle in the brooder. As bottle dancing is a necessary skill, three of the chicks were arguing over who got to dance on the bottle.

One of the other chicks listened to the argument, then calmly walked around the discussion and took possession.