What to Look for in a Broody Rooster

[centrarchid]

I left garage door open and light on causing lots of night flying insects to come into garage. Everybody left nest and went after the abundant eats even when it was after 10:00 PM.

 

[kuulgrl]

<3 your record keeping/stories of your chickens!

I could read about your chickens all day!

 

[centrarchid]

Today when I got back from work I took time to watch approaching storm and the house flock do its business. Slugger and Blanch were leading their brood about foraging for insects, especially crane flies that were being pushed about by wind. Chicks were hawking about as adults looked on.

A little later the parents separated by about 50 feet having 8 chicks staying with mother and three going with father.

Chicks with father were looking closely at something he was scratching up. Slugger then placed his head down among the three and looked closely as the chicks billed through the disturbed soil. This went on for about 10 minutes before adults and chicks regrouped.

Approaching storm. Night hawks were flying about in it.

As the weather got dicey the flock walked briskly to the garage. Shortly after, their guardians came back from field just in time to avoid the cold heavy rain with strong wind gust and way too much lightening.

Lucy.

Scoob, he rent back patrolling shortly after pushing through flock in garage and did not return for another 30 minutes.

 

[centrarchid]

Chicks are approaching stage where males engage in real serious fighting if either brooder or hen only reared. Somehow father suppresses this but how I do not know. See links for what goes on but do not do so if squeamish. Such normally occurs when I am at work so if repeated the only obvious signs will be dinged up chicks. The second video shows Scoob getting flogged for getting too close to hen with chicks. He has since learned how to get most hens to stop short in their attack. When I played video with hens getting riled Scoob got all excited and ran out to check on birds penned outside. He does not seem able to distinguish recordings from real life.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Chicks are approaching stage where males engage in real serious fighting if either brooder or hen only reared. Somehow father suppresses this but how I do not know.

It is probably like what happens in many other animal societies, including dogs and humans. If there is a strong, confident leader, the rest are mostly happy to go about their lives in the "non-alpha" position. However, if no one seems to be in charge, they will start testing themselves and each other to see if perhaps they can be in charge.

 

[centrarchid]

The mechanism is what I am looking for. Outright aggression is not evident.

 

[centrarchid]

This a pretty good photograph of what defines a broody rooster. Slugger has about 5 chicks under him. One is evident under his right wing (click on image to see chick's beak protruding from under Slugger's wing about where his thumb is located). Others either under mother or setting directly under wagon. Family group is loafing after the first bout of feeding for day.

Mother is getting benefits from this arrangement. She has much less concern about overflying American Crows patrolling for baby birds and eggs and she has not to fear from Mallard Duck intent on interspecies relations with hens. Slugger hammers duck just for coming within 50 feet.

 

[Melabella]

Mother is getting benefits from this arrangement. She has much less concern about overflying American Crows patrolling for baby birds and eggs and she has not to fear from Mallard Duck intent on interspecies relations with hens. Slugger hammers duck just for coming within 50 feet.

HA! your imagery is hysterical...

 

[centrarchid]

Somehow the down is involved making so adults are sweet on chicks. It is not just about camouflage and staying warm. Coloration may play a role but it may also be the rounded look the down gives that makes adults go sweet on them. This only works if adults are in proper hormone state. I am pretty sure the even the rooster here has very high progesterone levels which I may try to measure next go for comparisons with non-parental adult males. As I type I can hear Slugger in garage talking to his brood. He yet to crow this morning despite the nearly constant crowing in the cockyard.


Another thing noticed late yesterday was breast coloration on adult females.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Such lucky chicks to have a two parent family. I wonder if the experience will have a positive psychological effect on them when they are compared with chicks raised in a brooder...maybe less problems with the law or a higher high school graduation rate.