3-6-11

It was a busy week, and many things got done, but I think I’ll skip all that and talk about roosters.

Roosters are unnecessary for egg production, as you probably know; nonetheless they have an important roll in a free-ranging flock of hens.  Good roosters will protect their hens from predators, and will fight, and usually die defending their flock.  I’ve had two roosters killed by predators, Monet and Rooster Cogburn; this was back before we had the big dogs.  Roosters also keep the peace amongst the hens, and will forcefully break up fights.  Roosters with these qualities need not be aggressive towards people, but sometimes they are, and they don’t last too long around here. 

Last year we had three young barred-rock roosters, Manny, Moe and Jack, and they were very belligerent.  Being quite young at the time, they, along with their 30 or so pullets (young hens), were locked in the brooder house at night for safety.  Every morning they’d stagger out bloody from fighting, and ready to take on all comers.  Each of the three would be responsible for a group of hens, and they really did a great job keeping the hens together, no stragglers.  They could have been great replacement roosters for the main flock, but at some point they decided attacking our cattle dog Buddy was a good idea.  The second time they attacked him I encouraged Buddy to fight back, and he did.  He’d get hold of one and shake it by the neck, and then look at me to make sure this was okay.  I stopped him when the rooster seemed long dead.  The rooster survived, and from that point on they just stalked Buddy when he was too near the hens.  When the young hens were ready to move to the main flock, Manny, Moe and Jack moved to the freezer.  Too bad.

Yesterday I had three roosters, Big Boy, Romeo and Señor Pantalones Grande (aka Mr. Pants).  This morning I had to euthanize Big Boy.  He was old, and getting badly henpecked, very sad.  Big Boy was everything you could ask for in a rooster, and he will be missed.  Either Romeo or Mr. Pants needs to step up, but I have my doubts.

Monet