Sunday, August 7, 2011

Cock A Doodle Doo

We bought some Auraucanas in the spring.  Three, to be exact.  While on vacation, 2 of them were taken...by something.  A hawk or fox, I'm assuming.  It was sad, but I was glad we had one left.  The lone Auraucana did not adjust well with the existing hens.  They bullied her because she was smaller and younger.  She could only eat when they weren't around, or else she'd get pecked.  She also started roosting on top of the coop and not inside it.  Then she started showing interest in the spending time with the Cornish Cross gals.  I let her in their coop and it's been bliss ever since.  Two days ago I heard the strangest and unexpected sound...a cock a doo.  It wasn't a full-blown crow.  It sounded like a boy mid-puberty, voice cracking.  I looked up.  It was the Auraucana.  She became a HE. 
We didn't want a rooster.  But, we've decided he's kind of cool.  Right now he guards the Cornish Cross.  And he's super funny about it.  The husband and I stood and watched him with his girls.  All our coops open up into one common pen.  We held a poultry mixer yesterday.  I let the hens out of the pen to free range.  Then I let the Cornish Cross, Mr. Rooster, the other 3 hens we have that are a little younger and the two turkeys, which are male and female, out to mingle.  The turkeys are kept with the 3 younger hens.  Our plan is to move the hens into the Cornish Cross coop once they are processed.  The turkeys will have their own coop.  They coexist quite nicely right now.  The turkeys and hens stayed together.  Once all the Cornish Cross were out and the rooster realized there was a Tom amongst the bunch, he herded all ten of the girls back into the coop.  It was amazing to watch.  The Tom turned backwards toward the rooster, raised his tail feathers and did this thing with his...backside.  I'm not sure of the proper terminology for any of it, so for lack of a better description - it looked like he was making his bum talk to the rooster. 
Now, the rooster is completely skittish of all human contact and didn't try to attack either the husband or me.  He just ran away.  The last thing I want is an aggressive rooster.  For now, he's cool.  And we can't hear him in the house, so he'll stay.  We've also decided to see if the two turkeys will produce offspring, instead of processing them this year for Thanksgiving.  This is going to get interesting!

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