Boy, so much for rooster dominance.

[Rosalind]

Now that my chicks are 4 weeks old, the girl/boy count is in:

5 Araucana pullets
2 Buttercup roos
4 Buttercup pullets
3 Partridge Cochin roos
2 Partridge Cochin pullets

Today I was cleaning their pens and my biggest, fattest cat managed to muscle the door open so she could see what the chirping was all about. Those dumb roos ran in the corner and hid behind the girls, while the two Araucanas who are usually the most hand-tame, docile chickens you've ever met, stared down the cat until she wandered away.

This cat is our best mouser, and could easily have taken out all of them if she had felt so inclined. Nope, the sweet and cuddly girls ran up to her, flapped their wings and stared until kitty decided they weren't worth the hassle.

Ironically, I got the cochins because I wanted a few tame chickens that would be friendly, because I had heard that Araucanas are a little wild and not very hand-tame, and that Buttercups are rather independent, curious animals. Instead, the Araucanas are sweethearts who love to perch on my arm and be petted, the Buttercups are apparently not investigative enough to brave a cat, and the Cochins would rather peck each others' shoulders than be petted. On the plus side, I have never heard the cowardly roos attempt to crow, not once. Maybe I will get very lucky and have the fabled Quiet Roosters?

 

[4H kids and mom]

Hmmm... I wonder if that fable is based on fact because of my three roos, one is shy, skittish, and runs from the other 2 and we've never heard a PEEP outta him, while the other 2 have been crowing their hearts out for weeks now. Well, the "quiet" roo is to be a breeder, so maybe I'll get lucky too!

 

[justusnak]

I have to laugh on this one. We have Buff Orps babies, 8 weeks old today. Both of my Roos will run and hide when they bigger hens come in the coop. Most of the baby girls will too...but the ROOS are the first in the corner, covered by the girls! MEN!! HA!!