NebraskaHick
Chirping
As you can tell from my handle, I'm from Nebraska, and a Hick! Well, the last name is Hickman, but my favorite uncle went by Hick so I've used it in his honor ever since we got on the internet in '98.
I was raised on a central Nebraska farm. Dad got into the chicken business, selling eggs to a local hatchery when I was very young. We had 1500 laying hens and the roosters to go along with them. When we still were on the farm, my wife & I would raise a couple hundred chickens for butchering for ourselves & friends. Never got to "know" any particular chicken under these circumstances.
In the winter of 2012 I was hearing a rooster rather close to the house. Our neighbors to the west had a flock. I discovered a Rhode Island Red rooster in our cedar tree by the back deck. Apparently, he got kicked out of the flock and was roosting here! The temps were hovering around zero, and he was getting along just fine! During the day he joined the flock and ate corn at the elevator next door, but in the evening the flock headed home and he headed for our tree! Later he brought a hen over, and I made a pen, then a perch, then it evolved into a nice tight coop for the following winter. Chicquita died a year ago, 4 years old. Red is still alive, and follows us around like a puppy! Good thing he is docile; his spurs are about 4" long.
For the full story, and if you have an hour or so to kill, check out my FB album on these birds. There were some bad times (dog attacks 3 times) but mostly good times and fond memories. Who would think an evening with the wife could include a hen on her lap and a rooster on mine?
My avatar was taken just last week as Red was helping himself to my bologna sandwich.
https://www.facebook.com/gary.hickm....254230887993477.60672.100002197026390&type=3
I was raised on a central Nebraska farm. Dad got into the chicken business, selling eggs to a local hatchery when I was very young. We had 1500 laying hens and the roosters to go along with them. When we still were on the farm, my wife & I would raise a couple hundred chickens for butchering for ourselves & friends. Never got to "know" any particular chicken under these circumstances.
In the winter of 2012 I was hearing a rooster rather close to the house. Our neighbors to the west had a flock. I discovered a Rhode Island Red rooster in our cedar tree by the back deck. Apparently, he got kicked out of the flock and was roosting here! The temps were hovering around zero, and he was getting along just fine! During the day he joined the flock and ate corn at the elevator next door, but in the evening the flock headed home and he headed for our tree! Later he brought a hen over, and I made a pen, then a perch, then it evolved into a nice tight coop for the following winter. Chicquita died a year ago, 4 years old. Red is still alive, and follows us around like a puppy! Good thing he is docile; his spurs are about 4" long.
For the full story, and if you have an hour or so to kill, check out my FB album on these birds. There were some bad times (dog attacks 3 times) but mostly good times and fond memories. Who would think an evening with the wife could include a hen on her lap and a rooster on mine?
My avatar was taken just last week as Red was helping himself to my bologna sandwich.
https://www.facebook.com/gary.hickm....254230887993477.60672.100002197026390&type=3
