I don't think he got quite the welcome he may have expected!

[basicliving]

I am shaking like a leaf - and so darn proud of my Big Duke I can hardly stand it. I know no one will appreciate this story more than the BYC crew, so I just have to share it here.

I have two broodies that have 5 babies between them that just turned 3 weeks old. The mamas had the babies in the chicken yard all morning. I was standing in the kitchen with my husband a few minutes ago and something caught our eye out the kitchen window. When we looked I could see Duke rolling on the ground with what I thought was my other roo. I took off out the front door and when I opened it the most gawd awful noise was coming from that pile of feathers and Duke was on top holding it with his spurs and beak. Duke got up and a HUGE chicken hawk flew like crazy out of the yard, over the trees, and never looked back. And he left behind many feathers.

I can not tell you how proud I am of Duke! If I ever questioned whether it was worth having a rooster, I never will again! He was ALL OVER that chicken hawk! I'm sure the hawk came down after the babies, but we have shrimp netting covering the run they are in - thank goodness. All babies are fine, and so is the rest of the flock as best I can tell. Many are still hiding under a building.

Duke is quite puffed up and strutting around. I fed him some leftover shrimp and rice. I just can't get over how fierce he was when I needed him to be! He's a Silver Gray Dorking and quite large. Lately he's been tearing up the girls' backs and I've been irritated with him over it. Not any more!! I'm just going to make some more chicken saddles!

I'm sure we'll have chicken hawk problems again in the future - but I've got to say, having a big, protective roo saved my babies today and because my chickens free range, having Duke around is a BIG comfort. I am just so darn proud of him!

Thanks for listening.

Penny

 

[MoodyChicken]

What an amazing rooster! That's really incredible! That hawk probably won't come back for a good long while. I wish my banty roos could do that... but they're so tiny a finch could take them off.

 

[baldie]

What a good boy!! That is awesome! He must feel like quite the man now!! Congrats on having such a great boy!!

 

[hooksetz]

Kudos to ole' Duke

.

I had a game hen that would fight hawks once, but she died of old age about a year ago, and I've never seen another like her.

Again "ALL HAIL DUKE!!!!"

 

[chilling in muscadine]

Roos take there job seriously. One day a hawk was coming in after one of my game hens biddies. Her roo was right there and I witnessed him jumping in the air, hanging his spurs in the hawk. The hawk went to fly off, slammed into a tree, changed directions and there goes the roo chasing the hawk. Awesome site. My big boy got himself some extra treats that day.

 

[happyhensny]

So proud!And people are negative when they refer to chickens! What a wonderfully brave boy!! He deserves treats!!

 

[briana1975]

That's why we are gonna keep a rooster. I just hope we get one like Duke.

 

[Robin L]

My rooster would have run for the hills, he is afraid of his own shadow. You have one great rooster!

 

[basicliving]

Thank you all for the kind words - I will tell Duke all about the praise he got when I go give him some more shrimp in a few minutes

I honestly feel like crying from fear I am so scared about what could have happened and from pride because my Big Boy really came through for me. I'm still shaking like a leaf! But Duke is strutting around and I think I just heard him say "Yea, that's right Mr. Hawk. That was ME that whooped up on your butt. NOBODY messes with my girls."

We've only had two chicken hawk attack attempts since they've been free ranging. The first one happened within a few feet of me last year and I saw the hawk coming down and I ran at it screaming with arms flailing like a mad woman. He left with nothing too. Maybe they'll tell all their friends that chicken isn't an easy meal around here, what with the crazy lady and crazy rooster running around!

 

[riderbecky]

How about a pic of the hero?