It's been a tough few days here. My old man, Roscoe, has passed on.
Roscoe was one of my very first silkied Cochin bantams. I drove all the way to Chicago to pick up a trio of them back in 2016, and the person selling them had so many cockerels left after the birds I bought that she was giving them away, so I went ahead and got a second cockerel from her. That second cockerel was my Roscoe.
What a mug he had, what a tough-guy exterior. Yet he was such a well-mannered rooster with hens, and the sweetest and most gentle rooster I'd ever seen around chicks and juveniles, whether they were his own offspring or completely unrelated. Other roosters I've had over the years would avoid the chicks or stare at them as if horrified. But Roscoe, he would sit with them, he would happily show them to the food and water to help them get acquainted with their surroundings when first moving outside, and he was so patient with them, letting them poke and prod at his face while only gently objecting if they got a bit too rough with their pecks.
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Peeking his head through the fence to interact with the hatchery-bought chicks back in 2021
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I had wanted to fully integrate him into the mixed flock, but he and Winter just wouldn't get along, and they'd fight and fight until Roscoe was practically blue in the face and gasping for air if I let them. That probably was an early sign of what was to come, unfortunately. For a while now, I think I mentioned a few pages back, his heart seemed to be outright failing. A few days ago on a nice, sunny, warm day, I took him out into the yard in a little pen I have set up out there for various purposes and let him get some sunshine, and he couldn't even make the short walk back to the coop that evening. I kinda knew he was fading over the past two days, so I'd been doing my best to make him as comfortable as possible until we were able to make end of life preparations for him. However, he passed on in his sleep last night, thankfully looking fairly peaceful at least. I'm sure gonna miss the old man.
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I'm so sorry for your loss. He sounds like an amazing bird, one that was very very dear to you. May he live on through his offspring, and your memories
Too bad about not having more Blue Columbians, but Dark Brahmas are super pretty as well! Are they buff blue Columbian or silver blue Columbian?
Your friend is going to have a gorgeous flock from the sounds of it! Sending all the vibes for a good hatch! 
I just like the Spitzhauben crest better.
