So first thing this morning #3 Araucana worked up the nerve to launch himself into the wide world of opportunity. He’d figured out how to do it a couple of mornings ago.
And at about 5:30 this morning, a great disturbance in the force told me which opportunity he’d chosen to pursue.
Hello, Ladies…
And that’s why nothing is permitted to upset my little egg factories, which have been progressing so nicely.
(sigh) The morning just got busier than planned. Sorry, Charlie. The water is on for your little bath, and the time it takes to get hot is the time you have left on earth. While I’m at it, I may as well do them both.
As far as I know – and I’m almost certainly wrong – this is the Internet’s only picture of an actual cock actually crowing on an actual dungheap. My little contribution to the collected ephemera of civilization.
I always had roosters with my hens. Never bothered their egg production, except if one decided to get broody and hatch out some new little chickens. I never minded that. Your girls were only upset temporarily. They’d have gotten used to it quickly. But two LARGE roosters for four or five little hens is a bit of overkill. I usually had one rooster for ten or twelve ladies, sometimes more. They managed nicely. 🙂 And one of the secrets to that was the fact that they had a rather large area to roam around it. No idea how it would work in close quarters.
ML, the Araucanas attacked and ate one of Landlady’s Brahmas. I’m trying to establish a relatively peaceful flock in the Fortress, which is only about 7X20. I’ve got four healthy new Rhode Island Red pullets who are starting to lay nicely. I’m questioning whether to try reintroducing Selma to the main flock, but I guarantee the Araucanas have no place with them.
And anyway, as of this writing we’re down to one live cock and one cooling in Ian’s freezer. Haven’t decided whether to do the other one today or not, but now I have to grab a bite and get over to shit-shoveling.