Picking the best cockerel(s) to keep, plus the results later down the road.

[DemeterAD9]

His attitude towards me is about the same. He doesn’t jump on my back anymore when I squat down to feed the young ones. He still dances at me but I am not letting him interact unless I sit down and have him sit in my lap. My dad says he tries to attack him when he lets them out in the morning but it sounds more like he is aggressively dancing, hoping this doesn’t escalate. He isn’t picking on the younger cockerels yet despite one of them trying to crow. He is still trying to force mate the pullets and especially fancies the light colored girls. No harm done yet and it only happens in the morning and evening so it isn’t constant.

This here is one of the other boys. I am hoping to get a miracle going so I can keep this blue copper maran as well. Mostly for breeding purposes to create more EE or OE next spring. He is looking to be a pretty birds. I’m thinking that letting them free range will help with keeping the peace once hormones go crazy in all the younger cockerels. I’m also hoping I can raise them all to a decent size before I have to cull them.

I’ll update more as the 4 other cockerels mature. The white one is going to be huge (already taller than the yellow/red man) so I’ll have to get photos of them all.

 

[DemeterAD9]

Thinking I may end up culling the EE roo afterall. He's been acting a bit too territorial lately. He drew blood on my dad's arm (he tried to pet him) and kicked my sister and left a good scratch mark on her leg (she also tried to pet him). Today he did a few bluff charges at me. He has also been favoring a white pullet who id not agile enough to avoid getting caught. I'm noticing a bit of dried blood on the back of her neck. To top it off I've been looking at his toes. On both feet the inside toe is turned in. It isn't like that on any of my other birds.

As for the other cockerels, I'm loving the blue copper maran. He's turning out beautiful. The BJG is also coming along but he seems on the small side yet.

Them there's the red boy, who is deemed an outcast. He's skittish and the other cockerels chase him off.

And finally there's the big boy large fowl mix breed. His feet are huge, they look like turkey feet! Not sure if it comes across in the photos, but he's tall and lanky, notably taller than the EE. Either he or the blue copper maran has been crowing. I saw him tidbit for the pullets and he definitely is the boss of the 4 younger boys. My only concern is his leg joints. Everything looks fine but he almost seems to have an odd gait. I'll be observing more as he matures, might just be because he's lanky?

So now I wait. I was hoping the EE will keep the other boys in line but if I cull him then I feel like they will all run rampant like before. We'll see what happens first, either the younger boys force me to cull them when they go crazy or the EE will try his luck with me and push it too far. I would love to keep them all till spring before I have to make decisions but I doubt that will work unless I build another coop/run.

 

[DemeterAD9]

And thus ends the reign of the EE cockerel. Something got him yesterday morning, ate the head, neck and part of one breast. Not sure what would drag a chicken around and leave a trail of feathers in a daytime attack. My guess is a coon or cat but we will hopefully find out soon. I've got a live trap out where the body was found with a wing as bait plus two trail cams, no catch but the trap had a coon walk right up to it last night. I was able to salvaged the legs/thighs and one breast along with the gizzard and heart.

Not terribly upset as I had already decided to cull him. More upset he suffered and of course the predator is still out there. The flock is now on high alert as is my dog, she is barking at whatever she smells was around.

Now the 4 remaining cockerels will have to work out who is top boss. So far it looks like the blue copper maran is calling dibs for the possision, he's crowing and trying to chase hens. The white roo is also throwing his weight around, especially at the feeder. Not looking forward to the chaos. One thing I can note, the handful of pullets the EE favored are more relaxed around me now they don't have to worry about being chased.