rachels.haven's Journal

[farmerjan]

Stink bugs here are terrible too... find at least 1-2 every day in the house by the desk.... dozens one day I opened a box in the shed.... and NOTHING eats them.... like japanese beetles, nothing eats them.....

Sorry about the houdan rooster... my little NH bantam rooster was real quiet... another reason to want more of them... Might be able to find you some at a show this coming fall, that have been handled a little bit...

 

[rachels.haven]

Thanks. I bet if I just bought eggs from you if you ever had the setup going or anyone else I'd be able to hatch plenty of roosters. Seems to be the way it goes.

I'm always a little bit baffled by it when a rooster decides to go to war with you. They've been domesticated for a while and I don't think there's an advantage in it. They are almost never the brave defending the hens type. That rooster sure isn't able to actually defend much of anything. He's not brave, bright, or quick. I guess he'd be sacrificial if a real predator came by and if his ladies would run away they would make it. (if)

 

[fuzzi]

Sorry to hear about the rooster. The hormones get flowing and the brain turns off.

Zaccheus, my current rooster, was hen raised, they kept him in fear, but he still decided to attack me when he was about 6 months old. He's bantam, it didn't hurt me, so I just stood still. I could see his frustration that my legs didn't fight back. Within a week he stopped trying. I don't cuddle him, and he respects my space.

He's raised his son, Jacob (5 months old, on right) well.

Zack's father Samuel flogged my head as I was bent over. He was my first cull.

 

[rachels.haven]

Sounds like in theory you may be letting them work it out on an individual level and genetic level. When I'd raise groups of roosters in their own area they seemed to keep each other in line. They'd ride each other and pluck out tails, but it seems less problematic than raising a rooster with a bunch of hens. They may need a male pecking order and competition to worry about or the risk of them going after you seems to go up.

I'll think about my chicken plans over the next few days. I don't have much other than observations at this point.

Houdans are a threatened breed. They're one of the few more docile white egg layers and they're supposed to lay fairly well. I wish they were a little smarter, but the hens are indeed very docile despite being flighty. They calm right down as soon as they are caught and don't start fights with other hens in the pen (and they like to get bullied by tiny d'uccles).