This little chicken was running around the yard! I was shocked! As far as I could tell there was never any hen that had been setting, and the last time we had a mature rooster here was July. Allow me to explain. Judy had a rooster that was not, ahem, "fitting in" around her place, so he came up to the riverrim to live. We called him "teenager rooster", because he was, a teenager. Full of himself..
...and apparently fully endowed. My hens, ahem, adjusted to his behaviour. Notice how they all ran away from him!
I had to send him back the day he tried to show me who was ruling the roost.
After that, "Phyllis", who had been living at Judy's but went to Grace's... (where it was determined that he was really a "Phil"), came to live at the riverrim. We assumed he would behave himself....he was no trouble at all. And my hens were not sure what to make of his "headgear".
Alas, we hardly got a chance to know Phil. We presumed (because we didn't witness the attack) that a racoon broke into the run and hen house, and ran off with Phil and our little banty hen. There were feathers everywhere, and they were missing. A day was spent mending fence etc., and we were left with 6 hens.
So who is the father? Who is the mother? Do I call in Jerry Springer?
I'm guessing the father is "teenager rooster", because Phil either didn't have or didn't use his(ahem, cough) equipment...and the mother? Could be anyone or any combination of hens! All were laying. It does raise the question of how many fertile eggs a hen can store up!?
The banty found a dark corner up high on the shelf and covered herself with hay...there are a total of 4 chicks that hatched out. Three yellow and one black.
I'm trying not to interfere..they were doing fine without me...so I'm letting nature take her course. When I get a chance, I'll take some more photos.
7 comments:
What a surprise! It sure is a cute little thing. I hope it doesn't end up being racoon bait.
I think you're right as the crested chicks usually look like they have puffy top knots. He's a cute chick all the same. Should be interesting to see how the wee banties turn out.
Funny! My hens all run away from our rooster too!!! This is the first time they have had the experience of a rooster, and well, they were NOT very impressed with him!!!! Fingers crossed your chicks are all hens, or at least mostly hens!
Interesting! It's been a long while since I've had chickens, but I'm looking forward to getting a coop in this winter. Hopefully all yours will do just fine on their own.
If your husband grabbed you by your hair, jabbed his toe nails into you, and was done within seconds...you would run too! Good luck with your new additions.
My oh My what an experience you've had with your chickens ...wish they were mine ;o) I'd like to adopt that cute little yellow one..but he may turn out to be a Rooster who crows early in the am and my neighbors would have me shot! :o)
Ginny
Oh, weddies! At least, that's what folks around here used to call baby chicks, although I'm not sure of the spelling!
Post a Comment