Crossing fingers, toes, paws and whiskers, hoping that things get wetter...
but not TOO wet.
The friendliest small rooster breed
That is good Porkpal, "batten down the hatches" and ride out the storm.
One man here said it would last five years. No idea where or how they come up with these predictions. Unless there is some kind of history pattern I don't know how they could know these things with any certainty. Weren't they also saying there has never been a drought this severe as far back as they've recorded the weather here? Seems I heard that statement made.
Might even be HAARP.
They are basing their predictions on the behavior of La Nina - but how do they know what she will be up to next?
Buff Orp
My Buff Orp roo is the nicest of all the roos I've had. He has gotten less feisty with the ladies as he has aged. I had one hen -- a sex link-- who was consitatnly barebacked for 3 years and I got her an apron. It went on in winter and came off once it warmed up and she had grown back feathers. Now that our BO roo is older she is keeping all her feathers. For ssome reason the sex link was beloved by the roos (we had two for a while and both favored her, so she got a lot of action. Easter Egger was nasty and attacked me, Marans were fine -- we just liked the Buff better, and mutts who were half Welsumer and half Buff Orp might have been fine, but we hatched from five eggs and they were 3 males to 2 females and they fought each other. Our young Black Australorp was also a nice roo, but we could not have two with only a dozen hens, so we gave him away and he is loved at his new home. He was always a perfect gentleman with me and it was hysterical how he would sneak in a quick screw behind the Buff's back so to speak, and then outrun the big guy when he was discovered. My hens were also happy with no roo around at all, but it is charming to see our roo find food and call his ladies, and he does keep an eye out for hawks. But when a coon got into the coop he never lifted a spur in defense of the hen who was attacked.
I have two Minorca roosters and one Partridge Rock; he is huge. They are all easy to live with; not aggressive with people at all. Between the three of them though they were keeping most of the hens looking pretty ratty so I have begun keeping them separated most of the time. It is much quieter and so far no hawk attacks...
I have two roosters. Both are wonderful friendly guys - they have lived harmoniously (mostly) together for three years (counting this year).
One is a Giant Jersey/Buff Orp cross. He is gigantic and the nicest roo I've had in the 15yrs I've had chickens! The other is a little white bantum cochin. He seems to be more popular with the hens as I've got a lit of chicks with fluffy legs. :-)
Tam
Goes to show you can't tell a book by it's cover. Seems like the big roosters would generally be big AND mean. Nice to hear the big roos are often the gentlemen.