Yesterday, I brought all of the remaining chickens out to the barn now that the weather has improved, and they're all feathered in. Immediately, the black cochin bantam (I think!) started getting into little tiffs with the other birds. He's got a bright red comb, and I'm pretty positive he's a boy. He ruffled up his neck feathers and was challenging anyone who got too close. Then, he stood up to one of the guineas (they are about ten times his size!) and THE GUINEA BACKED DOWN!! "Junior" may prove to be quite the king of the coop for being such a small little guy! The bad thing is that I'm pretty positive I've got at lest one other bantam rooster. I hope they don't fight too much, or I'll have to give one away!
Another fun story: While my son and I (he's almost 4) were watching how the birds were behaving, one bird flew up and tried to land on my son's shoulder. He didn't scream, but he was kind of ah-ah-ah-ing. I took the bird and let it sit in my hand. Then we realized who it was. Before we ever got our chickens, my son told me he was going to name his chicken "Awesome". He ended up picking out a bantam (looks kind of like a Welsummer pattern-wise). Well, although he's had very limited contact with Awesome, that was the chicken that decided to perch on him. I had Awesome on my arm, and my son said he wanted him back on his shoulder. I put the bird on his arm, and then my son said, "Um, I don't think I want him on my shoulder anymore - he might poop!" Anyway, it's too cute. Every time we go out to the coop, he says, "I love my guineas and chickens!" He's very gentle with them, and they don't seem to mind him petting them!
I'm very excited to have all of my chickens out in their newly expanded coop. Now, hopefully next week we can get started on the run so they can get outside now that the weather is improving!
Dominance comes in small packages?
that is cute, wish you had pictures.
So cute, and that boy of your's sounds like quite the little man. It's great to hear about the fun your having and just to think you'll even get eggs eventually...LOL. Hay
That is so sweet! I had a bantam Cochin that I named Hazard.. he was the most aggressive roo I've ever had. When he learned how to handle his hormones, he wasn't quite so bad..
Glad to hear you are enjoying them so much.. Do post pics when you can!
Ahh learning how to handle hormones, lol. I've probably told this story before, but when I was 12, my best friend was a rooster. And he was a very big rooster, with long spurs, and quite a 'tude. He would attack everyone except me, my Dad, and our duck. I had a fox terrier at the time, and they are tough little dogs. They would play fight all day, everyday. The dog would go low, and the rooster would fly up with his spurs out. They would keep doing that unless Duck or I called him. If I called him, he would come running, and fly up on my lap, and just sit there so sweetly. He would meet me at the gate everyday after school, which is pretty cool when you're in junior high, and not quite sure of yourself. Duck was very horney, and she would lay her long neck along the ground, stick her little butt up in the air, and start quacking loudly, then rooster would drop everything and run to her. One day a repair man came into our yard, and looked over, and said" Isn't that a rooster on a duck?" I just shrugged my shoulders, and said yeah.
I do have to get out there and take pics - they're all getting so big so fast!!! (Well, except Awesome and the one-eyed Popeye! - They're tiny bantams!) The coop turned out so nice - we added about four feet to it, so it's nice and roomy - I'll try and take pics in the next few days.