Our 40-something baby roosters are out of the brooder and running wild in the chicken house–and the chicken yard. They’re eager to poke their little heads out the chicken yard door each morning, though sometimes hesitant to take the first step.
It’s a big world out there!
Big chickens don’t wait–they rush out of the house looking for breakfast!
Though sometimes they remember they need to lay an egg so they go back in. (Yes, the ramp had gotten knocked down. Even the little ones just hopped in and out.)
Eventually, the little roos burst out. Some of them fly out from the house into the yard. It’s fun to see the little ones fly. They head for water dishes. There’s not much that’s more fun than a bunch o’ lil chickens, and I’m enjoying my mornings this summer watching them burst out of the chicken house, and run back in at night. I’d have a bunch o’ lil chickens all the time except I’d have 500 chickens in no time and that’s a little out of control.
I’m trying to cut down on my amassing of chickens, so I wouldn’t have gotten these other than for a specific purpose. These little roos–two different sexed (male) batches–are headed for the big plucker party. We have one batch of mixed heavy breeds, and one batch of white leghorns. The mixed heavy breeds are the most interesting. You never know what you’ll get! I’m enamored of the feathered legs on a couple of them.
I don’t know for sure what it is, but it might be a Brahma, which is a heavy meat breed that has feathered legs and could be in this mix.
I might have to keep that one!
A reprieve from the grim reaper!
Saved by the feathers!
Lil roo: “QUICK, SOMEBODY PUT FEATHERS ON MY LEGS!!!”
Granny Trace says:
:heart: Love all the different chickens you have. I have been having a heck of a time getting my dinners put away at night. UGH
Granny Trace
http://www.grannytracescrapsandsquares.com
On July 13, 2011 at 5:55 am
TinaBell says:
Chickens!!!
On July 13, 2011 at 7:56 am
Houseful says:
I can’t imagine you actually butchering these boys. You have such a soft heart for them.
On July 13, 2011 at 8:24 am
Suzanne McMinn says:
I know! It’s hard to think about that. But. What will save the day is that they are all roosters and that many roosters on a farm would be a disaster. Fighting. Harassing the hens. Etc.
On July 13, 2011 at 8:44 am
Ms.Becky says:
oh I’m glad I read the previous comment and your reply Suzanne. now I don’t feel so bad about the plucking party. that reminds me of the smell, from when I was a little girl. that hot water and all those feathers. okay, that’s enough traveling down memory lane. love the feathered legs!
On July 13, 2011 at 9:25 am
Liz Pike says:
Oh yeah, by slaughtering time you’ll be ready for chicken soup. Or chicken pot pie. Or oven roasted chicken. Or… Once you get your freezer full, you’ll never hesitate again to raise a batch for the freezer!
Also, I learned to keep the ones headed for slaughter away from my other egg-laying, pet chickens. Then I didn’t get too attached, ‘course I’d change my mind though if that Brahma roo were in the batch (& if he ended up being a nice boy)!
On July 13, 2011 at 9:34 am
joykenn says:
I don’t have chickens now but did when I was a kid. My memories of them are that most are interesting (like all birds)to watch cause they move so differently than other animals. BUT,I’m reminded of the “conversation” of the gulls in the movie Finding Nemo which seemed to consist of “mine, mine, mine” or food oriented babel. Really stupid animals.
I’m told that this or that pet chicken was “really smart” but our all seemed to be really stupid. There’s always an exception to every generaliztion. Or,Maybe we had a stupid batch. Fun to watch though especially when young.
On July 13, 2011 at 11:43 am
GA_in_GA says:
Yep, with legs like those he would be too hard to pluck! :yes:
On July 13, 2011 at 12:00 pm
Drucillajoy says:
haha…it’s like they’re wearing little Ugg Booots…how cute :yes:
And I’m wondering how you will ever eat them, when here you are writing stories about them…sure wish I lived where I could have chickens…you are blessed.
On July 13, 2011 at 1:19 pm
CarrieJ says:
Mmmmm…they look delicious!!!
On July 13, 2011 at 2:55 pm
RobynAnderson says:
We have Brahmas, and that definitely looks like one of ours. Our one rooster is a Brahma and we have several hens. He’s really huge, and it makes me feel sorry for our non-Brahma hens!
On July 13, 2011 at 5:12 pm
AliciaN says:
They are cute lil guys.
I have a hen hatching 20 eggs (9 have hatched so far, 2 didn’t make hatching, so that’s 9 eggs to go) and the roos from this batch (and my previous 2) will be headed for a Plucking Party as well. I take comfort in the fact that theses guys have/had a way better life than any plastic wrapped Tyson chicken ever did!!
On July 14, 2011 at 12:05 pm
JerseyMom says:
Oh definitely keep the Brahma!! Our beloved Big Chicken was the mystery chick in an order of Americaunas and Cochins….took us a long time to figure out what the heck he was. For a while I was beginning to think there was a chicken/ostrich cross in my coop. He was a wonderful guy, very docile, full of personality and very people oriented. Sadly he was killed by a passing canine this spring. We will miss him for a very, very long time.
On July 14, 2011 at 12:31 pm
Darlene in North GA says:
Hummm….about the flying. You may want to clip the wing feathers on just one side so they can’t fly. The more the run and fly, the tougher the meat will be. Just a thought
On July 14, 2011 at 10:16 pm
Melinda54 says:
Being vegan, I’m not going to pretend this isn’t hard to comprehend, but I understand that there will always be meat eaters in this world. At least the little guys have a chance to live happy chicken lives, unlike those in factory farms.I appreciate the good care you give to your animals.
On July 27, 2011 at 1:05 am
elfoss says:
has the crooked little hens eggs hatched? or did they go bad? :chicken:
On August 15, 2011 at 10:50 pm