One of my October chicks, which were all supposed to be females, turned out to be a Roo. It was an Easter Egger and he was beautiful! I gave him special treats and he would come running when I would come outside. But I live in the center of a town and I have a neighbor who likes to sleep late and doesn't appreciate hearing roosters crow. In fact, he didn't begin to crow for a long time and actually started mounting my hens first before he ever uttered a sound. But crow he did so after much searching, my neighbors house keeper said their roo had died and they needed a new one. Off he went in a box, and I thought for sure into a pot for their dinner. A few weeks later my neighbor reported that her house keeper and her husband were thrilled with my big boy. He followed the husband around the yard and kept him company all day. He was appropriately amorous with the hens and very courtly. One of the hens was sitting on a clutch of eggs from the previous rooster when Big Boy came to stay. She hatched out 7 chicks but then abandoned them. Big Boy took over all the mothering duties, kept the chicks together and fussed over them. If one got separated, he would frantically search for it and then herd it back to the others. He would find tasty things for them to eat, scratch the ground and show them what was good to eat. If any good scraps were thrown to the chickens, he would stand over it until the chick had a chance to eat some. Big Boy had made himself at home in their coop, occupying the highest roost. But when since the babies could get up, he started sleeping on the lowest rung with them. They said they had never seen a rooster like him! Just shows you that if you raise an animal with love, they will pass it on.
Happy Mother's Day, Big Boy!
Happy Mother's Day, Big Boy!
