Any idea what this Roo is?

[TW1Kell]

This is Rueben Cogburn, aka Cog. I bought him to be an Americauna Roo, but have been told that he favors a Faverolle (spelling?)
His babies all look like standard Amies, and I have gotten 10 out of 10 pullets from his breeding (WOW!) He is a rather exemplary Roo as he won't eat the treats until the hens leave leftovers, he always calls them up and points out the goodies to them. He looks a bit rough ever since he was almost stripped naked fighting "something" that managed to kill 3 of my hens and severely wounded 3 more. I was away and my Dad was watching my chickens for me.




I apologize for photo quality. I only have my phone to use.

 

[karabbitry]

He is an Easter Egger.

 

[TW1Kell]

Thank you. I didn't want to influence anyone's opinion, but those are my thoughts, as well. I said mutt Americauna (EE), and am satisfied with that. Not bad for a $4 adult Roo, imo. I've had him about 2 years, now, and he's been a great Roo considering that I have killed 10 or more possums, hauled off 4 'coons from a trap, and scared off quite a few hawks. He actually engaged a Sharp-Shouldered Hawk that had grabbed Gamey, my brood hen. They were fighting furiously when I got to the scene. It was the first time that I had ever heard that a Roo would fight a Hawk. My neighbors were as amazed as I was. Does anyone know if that's common for a Roo to fight a hawk to defend his girls? SS Hawks are rather small compared to Red-Tails and Marsh Hawks.

 

[ramirezframing]

most roos dont fight the predators as they end up dead, they sound the alarm as running away with everyone else

 

[aoxa]

Definitely an Easter Egger rooster.

 

[donrae]

Easter egger, and sounds like a keeper! Are his pullets old enough to lay? I'm wondering if he'll pass on the green egg genes.

 

[TW1Kell]

Most of my hens have stopped for the Winter, I only get 5-9 eggs per day, for the past month or so (out of 30 hens/pullets). Most of his babies have the muffy beards, but they won't be laying until Spring, I assume. They will be 10 months in April for the 1st 2, and 8 months for the 2nd clutch of 5. I have been getting eggs at about 7-10 months old, it seems, tho I hear folks say younger. These will be my first EE's, my 3 Amies started between 6 and 8 months, so I don't really know, yet.

None of the blue, turqouise, or Olive Drab army eggs hatched, so these clutches are from Red Sexlink and a Barred Game hen. We'll see, won't we? I am a bit puzzled as I put 2 OD, 3 Turquoise, and 6 brown eggs in the 'bator (my 1st time using one) and only got 3 hatches, and all from brown eggs. The Turq eggs in my Game Hen clutch didn't hatch, only her egg and the browns that I put under her.

I now have 1 EE (Cog) and 3 Amie Roos all doin' the romancing thing with the girls, so maybe I'll have a better fertilization percentage. This Spring, I am going to build a couple of "Love Tractors" so that I can pair Roos with particular Hens, and know what I get from whom. I have only had chickens for about 2 years, now, and have jumped from 8 to my present 51 chickens due to people offering me "bargains" as they didn't want to winter them. I had 8 chickens last Spring...and have lost about 12, since then. You can see that I am a sucker for someone offering me a "bargain". haha! My wifey gives me some sideways looks, at times, but she knows how my chickens and gardens keep me calm and happy, so she allows it. (S_E'ing grin)

Any advice as to things that I should do, are welcomed. I just like watching them and giving eggs to neighbors, and folks who need a little addittional food due to the depressed state we find ourselves in. Work is hard to find, here, and not everyone has lots of food money, it seems. I do want to move into Sebrights and develop a blue-grey chicken, as I think they're beautiful, but my "colored egg girls" are beautiful, to me, and I love eating "Green eggs and Ham" with my 4 year-old Grandson. He loves "Pop's Army Egg Chickens". They don't even seem to mind him chasing them, tho he isn't very "dangerous" about it. They just scoot away then look at him.

About Cog and the fight: Everybody here scratched their heads, too. Red (an old "Bantee" breeder near me, and an old friend at that) said that he's had a Cock or 2 that had fought predators, but they usually died in the fight. I was lucky as I was home and heard the ruckus and went running with my .45 drawn. I popped off 3-4 rounds and that was what broke up the fight. When Cog lost all of his back, tail, and throat feathers (in the great hen killing week while I was gone), there were no witnesses to what transpired, so I am assuming that he fought the predator. He was so ashamed that he hid in the coop when I would come near the pen, and would walk away from me, when i trried to check out his wounds. He is normally very confident and will stand rigbht by me, and almost let me pet him. He is "The Master" and doesn't want to appear weak, so he won't actually let me pet him, much. After his feathers started coming back, he started acting like normal. It always amazes me how chickens are so personable. He almost seems to try to talk to me, and seems annoyed when I don't do whatever it is that he's trying to get me to do. Every morning, he'll raise all kinds of sand, crowing, bucking, and talking until I open the gate to let them range. Then he stands by me as all of the others come out, and just sort of bucks at me, like he's saying, "It's about time, Duder!" Looking dead into my eyes, the whole time. Chickens are funny, I think, but very interesting to watch.

Man, I can be long-winded on rainy days. Sorry. Bye, ya'all! haha

 

[TW1Kell]

Well, I said that production was way down, and then this is today's egg gathering:


Please ignore the finger. My Wifey saw this and said that I always point with that finger. I've never noticed it...I'd say that's pretty close to half of 34 hens/pullets. Not bad for January.

 

[TW1Kell]

OH! Also, 2 of the last clutch have now developed the long feathers over their lower back (Hackles?) that are a sign of a Roo. I think I no longer have that 10 for 10. 1 is a rather pretty, mostly white, mottled one, and the one that I thought resembles a pheasant, as well. Mutts, but rather pretty birds, I think.





Obviously, the last 2 pics are of the same cockerel. Kind of interesting birds, tho. Also, this latest clutch (from the 'bator) has the craziest comb. It's like a circle with a dot in the middle. Like, an egg in a nest or nasket. Anyone seen a comb like this?






These little ones have grown exceptionally fast, but are super flighty, and seem to not have any depth perception. They miss the food when I feed them from my hand. I have not had chicks do this when I raise them instead of allowing Gamey to set and raise them. Perhaps I have developed some sort of genetic flaw? These eggs were from the Cog/Red Sexlink breedings, as were most of the others. These 3 hatched on Thanksgiving Day. Maybe it is because of the late year breeding? Who knows. The experiment continues...

 

[donrae]

I have some leghorn/ee crosses that have funky, bumpy combs with a rounded area kind of like that, but not as funky

Mine is like someone took the straight comb and folded it around and tucked the end under..........don't know how else to describe it. I think it's just the big straight comb gene trying to reconcille with the little bumpy pea comb gene.

And yep, those are boys.