Hi there you beautiful doll, (SEW) It is now just six a.m. and D.W. and I have been watching our little Brinsea 3 egg incu. One has pipped, and the two others have lots of movement, If all goes well it could be 100%. To cool.
Yes my dear Sew you are right about the Araucana, I hear they are hard to find, so I wish you great success. Have a great day!!! Great Uncle Hay
Managing Menacing Roosters:
Hay, I hate the fact that you want to close your part of this thread as I thought it was just beginning and I was getting into the stride reading it and forming my thoughts and hadn't even commented yet.. which for my long-winded mouth says a lot.
You speak of going to other places and tell us of your thoughts and sightings... I go to places and it leaves me wondering if I am putting my family in the poorhouse for what reason??
I usually have a guilty feeling.. about what I will never know.. one day I will ask someone that is much better trained than I, but this guilt is what pushes me to try to do better every day.. it is what makes me read about a better feed formula or a better handling method or keep reading Hays thought on humane-ness.. Yes, I talk to my chickens, my goats, my alpaca, my sheep, and my children.. and my dh is right along side of me shaking his head and has that little glitter of wonderment in his eye and I know he approves even if he teases me.. but I degrease here..
Where I was going with this is..
Last year I had to many roosters so I ran an add on craigslist for silkie roosters $8 each.. I had many emails, I really wasn't screening as if I was looking for a forever dog or cat home, I understand these animals are livestock and some folks do eat them.. I eat them! Anyway, I only had one nice lady come out and actually buy one.. she was nice but about fell over dead when she told me which one she wanted "Billy the bully" I called him aver and he came.. he jumped on my arm and I handed him to her... ??? have I gone to far???
I went to a bird swap a few weeks ago... I took 5 roosters, assorted breeds, nothing fancy, but my guys no-the-less
I realized folkes were there to buy restaurant food, fighting birds, they were selling product.. could have been shoes as well as birds... I KNOW THIS!! I really do.. I have no problem.. BUT.. why can't you act like a humane being in the meantime.. why do you have to break their leg stuffing them in a 10 in cage... I was standing at the back of my truck.. opened my cage and was talking to my guys.. one of them jumped on my arm and I petted him.. gave him a treat and set him down.. I closed the cage, turned around and there was a young woman standing beside me.. she told me her roo had just died.. they think a coyote got him, she had him a couple of years.. they came to the swap to find a "replacement".. nothing fit the bill... till she saw me talking to my birds...
I gave her the bird... a few hours later I saw her and her husband and their little boy.. they were pulling a little red wagon, the boy and the bird were in the wagon, eating a hotdog, my bird was the bread from the hotdog...
I left that day thinking... and questioning.. myself .. I am trying to become self-sufficient.. I took the birds up to the swap because I need to scale back on pets and I need to have animals here that will Pay their way.. I can still treat them in a manner I would want to be treated, But there has to be a happy medium.. where I can do it and afford it, and not neccisarily make a profit but not go bankrupt in the meantime. This not only is my hobby, it is my way to stay at home and still provide for my family, just because I love it does not make it any less of a job.
And.. other than my time... it only takes minutes to rake up a mess... I use deep itter method so every couple of months I clean out the coop... I don't understand letting them live in squaller.
Oh.. and behavior... I think it is all in the presents.. I am the top roo.. I am the buck... I am the stallion.. therefore there is no question.. noone even has to try.. I think if they (the males of the (my) animal world) know there is no other option fron the beginning...
Now with all that said... don't think for a minute, late at night out of sight of these monsterous creatures when I am in the jacuzzi, soaking, aching in pain from being TOPDOG.. that I personally know they really are in charge.. LOL
NEVER LET EM SEE YOU SWEAT!
Frans530, that was a very thought provoking post. Thanks for taking the time to post that.
Wow Fran! I love it.. That was amazing..
To answer you Hay.. The Roo I have is an EE. There are only 8 colors of Ameraucana.. nothing wild and crazy.. LOL To recognize an Ameraucana, It's all about color first.. if you don't have a Black, Blue, Blue Wheaten, Brown Red, Buff, Silver, Wheaten, or White... you have an EE... which is NOT any reflection on EEs!!!! I love EEs cause you can get those wild colors..
Hatcheries have been selling EEs as Ameraucanas for many years.. Several have stopped since the Ameraucana Breeders Assoc. has educated them.. but your local feed store probably still advertises Ameraucanas or even Aracaunas when in fact, they are Easter Eggers. Our feed store still sells them as Aracauna.. not due to malice, just ignorance.
If I am correct.. (which might even shock me... LOL) The term Americana is something that was developed as a "unique" spelling as to not falsely advertise the sale of Ameraucana. Google Americana and you will not find a poultry breed.. You will find music! LOL
Sewin.. Aracaunas are rumpless (desired trait for that breed) most of the time.. and have "tufted" cheeks. NOT muffs and beards like the Ameraucana. Aracaunas also have the lethal gene due to the tufted face. They are quite difficult to hatch... and then get a surviving chick..
IMHO... EEs are the most desirable of all... unless you are going to show/breed.
geez, now I have to go find out if my americaunas are just plain ol EEs.. lol, they all lay green/blue eggs, BUT I noticed this year they are not selling americaunas but EEs. Wonder if they had to clarify.
I will have to check, muffs, cheeks, beards, leg color.. body color.. and what else?? poor Ali won't know what hit her when I take the manifying glass to her.. LOL
Edited to add:
I just found a thread that hit this subject right on the head.. maybe we could continue it right here on its own thread.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=128806
This message was edited Apr 19, 2009 11:44 AM
I have both EEs and Ameraucanas. I am breeding my EEs for egg color, what they look like means nothing to me, other than they are very pretty and lay huge aqua colored eggs. I love the size of the eggs, so I am crossing them to a wheaton Ameraucana rooster to try and keep the huge size and "blue" up the eggs a bit. I also have blue/wheaton Ameraucanas, which I am trying to breed to the breed type, and also keep the oh so sky blue eggs that they lay...not as large as the EEs...but bluer. There is a clean faced gene in with these birds, so in order to save type, I need to be sure and continue with the muffy faced ones.
See? That's what I think is the misconception.. "plain ol EEs" I think it's the other way around!! Just plain ol Ameraucanas! LOL I think the wild colors are more fun.. I believe the EEs lay bigger eggs.. and they all have that wonderful EE/Ameraucana temperament..
I don't believe the name Easter Egger is a discredit to the breed by any means... I don't see them as Mutts.. I think they are great..
Cause really.. Look at the pics of Ameraucana pullets/hens.. pretty boring compared to the EEs!!!! (IMHO)
Okay.. animals always have a way to make me a liar.. LOL
Plum, the raging hormone monster roo attacked me 4 times just now..
I did the head thing with him, but he still came at me. I do hope it was a huge mistake on his part and that he is terribly sorry.. LOL
I have to totally trash the term Chicken Whisperer.. cause honey, you could hear me down the street and it wasn't pretty. LOL
The first time, I just backhanded him and let him stand there for a minute and think.. When he gathered his bearings, he came at me again.. so I put him down and did the head in the dirt thing.. he stayed!! I thought.. Oh cool..
Then I let him up.. he came at me intent to do some harm this time.. I couldn't catch him for him trying to grab me with his feet.. Then I finally did.. and hung him by his legs for a minute to stop him.. and did the head thing a couple more times...
Just as I thought he was gonna be okay.. Whammo.. he got me again... He came very close to loosing his head.. VERY close.
He is in his own pen again.
That sounds just like my rooster. I did the carrying around thing, I did the hang upside down thing, he still kept coming back. He just didnt believe I was the alpha. Until I wacked him HARD....hard enough to knock him down and out, eyes rolled back in his head, blood from his beak. It wasnt what I wanted to do, and had never done it before, but I had enough, especially when he knocked me down from behind and hurt my shoulder. Ever since then he hasnt gone after me. Hasnt even wanted to. I think he finally believes Im bigger than him.
OMG ZZ's I'm sorry, I can't stop laughing. You are such a riot. I would pay money to see your exhibition. Gotta love it darling. Haystack
You know Frans, what surprised me was six of the eight coops I visited had no roosters at all and when I inquired there was no apparent interest in roos at all.
I fully enjoyed reading your post Fran and must say I truly thank the Lord for people like you, I understand the balancing act you speak of, I find for myself also that the birds have to pay their way. Yes I do love them and all but, even though thats true I also have limited resources as do most of us. Yet you still maintain a very decent and humane approach to the buying and selling procedure. We need more people like you. Your a great example and inspiritation to all of us. My very best to you Haystack. I'm not sure the thread has been successful but at least we kicked some things around and that can only help to make us think. I loved the input and am grateful to all who participated. Hay
Speaking of kicking some things around..
aaaaaaaaah ha ha
Nah.. not really. I don't believe in revenge.. or cruelty to animals.. although the thought briefly crossed my mind.. I just couldn't resist.
I'm sure my episode would have been a good show.. waddling around (I just put up a shade cloth for them) doing a cock fight with a roo... and having HIM get the upper hand!! Not to mention I'm in shorts & a tank top.. (which was failing me) Then, when he scratched me I said a few choice words and went back for more.. LOL
It was funny indeed.. but not as funny as when I fell in the mud like Orca yesterday.. in slow motion over the fence.. I left a huge butt print in the mud with my feet up in the air.. Oh I am so glad no one saw that one!
Haystack.. I think this thread was very successful in many ways! Maby you can't take the roo out of a rooster, but we can share, laugh and enjoy all the different ideas and experiences and do our best to make our chickens world the best it can be.
I find this thread VERY successful.. even with zzs little fits.. lol..
I think their are as many ways to "raise" a rooster as thier are to raise children.. no 2 are alike and all blame and praise cannot be put on parents, genetics nor envirorment.
I have spent a lot of time thinking about the cloning issue and the folks that pay, or would pay, millions to duplicate their perfect pet or a lost beloved child.. and I have come to the conclusion, no matter how perfect the genes are, no matter how identicle, unless every word, every degree of weather, every milasecond of every day is exact, thet cloned person or pet will not be the same.. one tiny bee's breath can change the entire structure.. pretty deep thoughts..
Sometimes... we might just have to sooth ourselves with... "it's just a bad rooster"
t was funny indeed.. but not as funny as when I fell in the mud like Orca yesterday.. in slow motion over the fence.. I left a huge butt print in the mud with my feet up in the air.. Oh I am so glad no one saw that one!
OMG, hahahahah...what a visual that is. And Im POSITIVE you dont look like an orca, but geez thats too funny, hahahahahahahah
are you sure no one saw you QQ
LOL LOL No one has made fun of me yet.. LOL I am so glad I watered that area for the chickens.. it was freshly tilled.. and so nice and soft. Now it has a nice deep spot for a pond.. LOL
I have been using the pitchfork to "till" up an area in the coop runs.. I not only provide plenty of cool dirt for them to dig in, I bury the straw, feathers, and poop from the week earlier which makes the soil nice and rich and full of worms..
not to mention a soft place to land
I think I figured out why Plum saw me as a threat.
I put up the shade cloth, so to get in the pen, I was squatting down... checking out the hens... Marlow pecked my thumb ring and it surprised me.. I pushed her away.. she squawked a little..
Picture that.. smaller.. waddling around... messing with his ladies? It was my own fault.. He only did what he thought he had to.
I put him away tonight and we practiced not struggling and parting in peace... he was fine. I will not punish him for doing his job. I will let this one slide as a learning experience, and just be aware.
Thanks for sharing, ZeeZ...
I agree with grow, zz, thank you for thinking the situation through and reporting your thoughts..
I believe you are probably right on the money. Most situations can be deduced to the moment the situation/perception got out of hand. This is what this thread was all about.
What an excellent analysis, Your passion has made students out of you. That is something to be proud of, and I can tell you for sure, you all inspire me. Hay
OH, for those of you who have been following this thread, remember the first coop I visited that was just up about a mile from me? Where I bought the two doz eggs and then fed them to my chickens because they were very dirty. While I was waiting for the P.O. to open this morning she called me and asked if I wanted to buy more eggs. I told her I wouldn't be needing any more. She then asked if I had some free time if I could stop by and I told her I had to go to the Post Office and would stop by on my way.
When I arrived fifteen minutes later, she hurried out the door with a big smile. I asked her what was up? She said when you were here to purchase eggs you mentioned you raised raspberries, logan, and boysen berries. I said yes, she said would you be interested in exchanging berries for eggs?
I said to her, can I speak to you without hurting your feelings, I could see her gulp, but she bravely said yes. I told her the real reason why I had come and bought the eggs. I told her I fed them to my chickens (boiled) she looked shocked, I said I'm sure your a very nice lady, but the eggs were filthy and three were cracked and probably polluted. The compost pile you throw out the coop window within two years will rot your coop, and you have a very nice filthy coop. I would certainly entertain some type of trade if you were willing to clean things up, and then keep it clean.
I was in utter shock at her next statement. She said this is my first time with chickens and what you said really stuck in my head. I responded by saying what did I say. She said you asked me if I spent any time with my birds besides feeding and collecting eggs, and I said no. She said I could see it in your face that you were upset with my answer. I'll make you a deal, if you tell me what needs to be done, I'll do it and then we can exchange eggs for berries. I said DEAL, she then said come with me I want to give you something. I followed her up to the chicken pen and found two three day old (Lamancha baby goats) She picked up one and put it in my arms. The baby was tan colored as was it's mommy, the other was black and white. OMG they were so soft and cuddly. They smelled beautiful and after holding it for about ten minutes I declined the offer and told her I would get nothing done if I took it home. I made her a list of what needed to be done, and took my leave after thanking her for her kindness. I still can't believe this all happened, but I just had to share it with you, by the way I told her about my friends here at Daves Garden, and told her I would show her the site and introduce her if she pleased. She smiled and said she'd think about it. Hay
Oh.. how wonderful! I thank God you were able to be honest, a lot of folks wouldn't have been, and even more important, that she was able to accept what you were saying.
True grace from both of you.
I have an odd feeling Hay will be sharing many more storys of his trips down the way.
Make sure she knows we support her and are right here if she needs any advice, Lord knows we can give tons of advice.
;Thanks Fran, that was the very point I was making with her, was that she wanted to make goat cheeze. She also had four nubians. She said she made a goat cheeze spread last year, but wanted to learn how to make hard cheeze this year, that was when I told her about all you great people and the great advice I had received from all of you over the months. I hope she will follow thru with it all! On my way home I kept saying to myself this didn't really just happen. I'm still shocked.
Beautiful work, Hay!! Guess just being you is a pretty darn good thing all things considered!! Bravo and thanks...
Wow... Haystack, you just made my day! That is just so cool... See how quick we are to judge by appearance? It would never have occurred to me that someone just didn't know what to do! I personally probably wouldn't have been able to say it.. but after reading this.. I will never look at things the same.. and I would be able to help out!
I do hope she comes to join our fun. This is a whole new world just waiting for her to enter. I am forever grateful for finding this site. I've learned SO much and it has enriched my life greatly. It would be so fun to have her. She is a special person in my heart already! As are you my friend Haystack.. that was a beautiful thing... I thank you dearly for sharing.
ZZ's I'm as guilty as you, I thought she was just nasty and lazy. The whole thing made my head spin, It was a great lesson for me as well. I'm still in awe of her. I must tell you holding that little goat almost made me cry. I kept my eyes on the goat while I was trying to regain my composure, I truly was flooded with emotions and almost lost it just telling my wife about it. LOL Now everyone knows I'm just a big baby. Haystack
Wow is all I can say right now.
That is wonderful! I am so thankful for people who are open and willing to listen. It really is important to remember to be open to suggestions and to consider things being said. Always look for that grain of truth in someones words. Thanks for sharing that! What a nice way to start my day! :)
We knew it already Haystack.. LOL You big softie.. :) We've got your number now! :)
Yohoo!!! Kelly has solved my problem with pictures on my computer.
And you proved it with such a nice one! Tell us about your handsome subject.
Hi there Porkpal!!! Early this a. m. I received a phone call from a stranger, asking if I still had chickens for sale? I told him I had a small amound. He asked if he could come over and look. As it turned out he was only about 3-5 minutes from me. He has never done chickens. He wanted ten, but was not really ready. The more he looked around the more he realized he was not ready. He had so many questions! I told him about Daves Garden and all the wonderful friends who were just waiting for his questions. He then said Oh I love computers and would probably love talking with those people. I asked do you know anything about computers. He said oh yeah. I told him I could not ever figure out how to send pic's. He said we'll fix that right away. And in thirty minutes solved all the problems I have been having for months. I ended up giving him four hens and a rooster. They are three months old. The Rooster he posted was given to me by a lady who could not keep him as she lived in the city. He is a bantam and his name is Braveheart. He also will be going to my new found friend who will soon be a member of Daves Garden. Thanks for asking PorkPal. Haystack.
YAHOOOO!!
What goes around comes around!!! You done good Mr. Hay.
Thanks Fran! And your pic's are on their way. If you have any questions let me know. Haystack.
We will all have to send him a thank you card!!! Great pics. We need them on the hairdoo thread. hehehe
Oh happy Day!!! Haystack can post pics! Yipeeeee! Come one with em Haystack!
I just think it is so ironic after having all these computer geeks come out and can't figure it out. Then along comes a guy to buy chickens, and he solves the computer mystery. And he had it all done in thirty minutes. He has not taken his birds yet as he has to fix up an old existing barn. I looked in on him yesterday around 4 p.m. He, bless his heart has no clue how to prepare this place and is no Handy Andy with tools, so I just laughed and told him I would return with cordless power tools today and we'd fix it up. I could see in his eye he was saying thank you, thank you, thank you. I knew the look, because that was my look when he solved my computer problem. So I will speak with you to tonight, Gotta go to work now. Haystack
Wow.. You are too cool Haystack.. :) Wish you were my neighbor.. I sure have plenty that needs fixin up! LOL
What comes around goes around. You are indeed a good niehgbor. :) (To bad you are all the way across the country.) LOL
WOW Haystack!! God always puts special people in our lives for one reason or another. and YOU are truly that special person..reading your posts and the notes you have sent me have gone a long way for helping in my life..
please dont ever change, and keep up the great posts..
God Bless you!!!
you are awesome!!
cindy