by Pa Rock
Chicken Rancher
A couple of months ago I went through a traumatic episode here at Rock's Roost when predators suddenly began coming after my poultry. Within a short amount of time all four turkeys were gone, most (and eventually all) of the guineas, and about half of my chickens - including all three roosters. I was left with a little flock of twelve hens, all of which are now secure in a new coop. I really missed the birds that were gone - the turkey's for their comic behavior and the guineas and roosters for the noise they made. It's hard to feel like you're on a farm without the occasional crowing of a proud rooster.
This past Sunday while I was in the shower, I was surprised by the sudden - and loud - crowing of a rooster beneath my bathroom window. After getting dressed and grabbing a quick breakfast, I went exploring. I discovered most of my little brown hens clustered around a pair of roosters, big multi-colored birds. One quickly fled across the street - which is where I figured he was from - but the other spent the day with the girls at my place.
Sunday night when I locked the ladies in their coop, the second rooster was gone also.
The following day he was back, and that evening the visiting rooster marched into the coop with the hens where he flew up to the rafters and proceeded to roost. It was apparent that the new guy was home!
Two days ago the neighbor lad came by to check on his former rooster. When he discovered that the bird was welcome at my place, the boy quickly asked if I wanted two more - the other rooster and a little banty hen. I agreed to the adoption, and the kid delivered the pair later in the day. They now appear to be at home in their new environment.
The two roosters are both Aracanas - a breed whose hens lay greenish-blue eggs. Aracanas are sometimes called "easter-egg chickens." The first one who moved in still sleeps in the enclosed chicken coop. The second has a roost outside that he prefers, but rushes into the coop each morning when I open it up so that he can catch up on all the gossip. I haven't found where the little banty spends her evenings, but I suspect that she is hiding somewhere in the coop - avoiding the bigger hens who seem to be picking on her.
It's good to have the new residents here, and the Roost is once again beginning to sound like a farm!
Chicken Rancher
A couple of months ago I went through a traumatic episode here at Rock's Roost when predators suddenly began coming after my poultry. Within a short amount of time all four turkeys were gone, most (and eventually all) of the guineas, and about half of my chickens - including all three roosters. I was left with a little flock of twelve hens, all of which are now secure in a new coop. I really missed the birds that were gone - the turkey's for their comic behavior and the guineas and roosters for the noise they made. It's hard to feel like you're on a farm without the occasional crowing of a proud rooster.
This past Sunday while I was in the shower, I was surprised by the sudden - and loud - crowing of a rooster beneath my bathroom window. After getting dressed and grabbing a quick breakfast, I went exploring. I discovered most of my little brown hens clustered around a pair of roosters, big multi-colored birds. One quickly fled across the street - which is where I figured he was from - but the other spent the day with the girls at my place.
Sunday night when I locked the ladies in their coop, the second rooster was gone also.
The following day he was back, and that evening the visiting rooster marched into the coop with the hens where he flew up to the rafters and proceeded to roost. It was apparent that the new guy was home!
Two days ago the neighbor lad came by to check on his former rooster. When he discovered that the bird was welcome at my place, the boy quickly asked if I wanted two more - the other rooster and a little banty hen. I agreed to the adoption, and the kid delivered the pair later in the day. They now appear to be at home in their new environment.
The two roosters are both Aracanas - a breed whose hens lay greenish-blue eggs. Aracanas are sometimes called "easter-egg chickens." The first one who moved in still sleeps in the enclosed chicken coop. The second has a roost outside that he prefers, but rushes into the coop each morning when I open it up so that he can catch up on all the gossip. I haven't found where the little banty spends her evenings, but I suspect that she is hiding somewhere in the coop - avoiding the bigger hens who seem to be picking on her.
It's good to have the new residents here, and the Roost is once again beginning to sound like a farm!
2 comments:
Congrats, Rock, it's always good to have the family back together!
For a moment I thought this tale might end up with an awkward charge of rooster rustling. As the Bard said, all's well that ends well.
A couple of days ago I was driving down County Line Road, as those from Wyandotte County call it [it's really 47th Street]. To my amazement there were several chickens at a house on the Johnson County side of the road. Only three blocks from my house, it made me feel a little less citified!
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