Good morning Café. Between the full moon and jet lag I am awake and rolling. Since I beat Shad here, coffee is brewed. Trip was great even with a few minor glitches - incredible weather. Only had very slight drizzle on one out of 14 days. We've been there before and know the power of the sun so with sunscreen liberally applied had no sunburn whatever. In Maui I only saw 3 chickens in the entire week - a trio of bantam sized birchen colored birds. Kauai on the other hand was chicken paradise. Chickens everywhere we went or looked with relatively large concentrations at any tourist scenic places , even the beaches. At these touristy places locals are selling pastries, fruits, sandwiches, etc. The birds are there for scraps and handouts.
Birds for the most part were perhaps half to two thirds the size of American Gamefowl. Primary color was BBR males with hens having varying shades of the wild type BBR coloring. In two areas we/I noted birds with a significant amount of spangling. Splash, mottled, birchen and occasional black birds were noted.
I found myself watching flocks with somewhat changed eyes because of the influences of Shad and Centrarchid. Within the larger flocks, cohorts/tribes of 1-3 hens accompanied by 1 mature/aged rooster (going by spur size) were the norm. In the entire time there I saw no fights nor forced matings. Cockerels and pullets worked the outskirts of the flocks very politely.
At the parking area on the top of Waimaea Canyon there was a large group of perhaps 60 + birds. One very pretty Golden Duckwing rooster caught my attention. Perhaps half again larger than all other birds he had no hens with him? A group of 4 hens and one rooster caught my attention partly because of the size of the group and also the fact that it contained 2 wheaten colored hens. On a closer look my brain went, "Wait a minute there's a second rooster in this cohort." Two BBR roosters exactly the same size, age, condition working side by side to shepherd this group of beautiful hens. So close together that they were frequently making inadvertent physical contact. On the far side of the parking a third wheaten hen made her appearance. The golden duckwing rooster was after her in a heartbeat. One vocalization from her and both BBR roosters flew to her rescue. She rejoined the 'tribe', and the larger rooster showed subordination by submissive stature and raised feathers on the back of his head. He evidently had history with the two roosters in this coalition. I couldn't help wondering if perhaps those had been his hens usurped by these two much smaller roosters working as a coalition.
Postcards, pictures ? Y'all know me better than that.
Birds for the most part were perhaps half to two thirds the size of American Gamefowl. Primary color was BBR males with hens having varying shades of the wild type BBR coloring. In two areas we/I noted birds with a significant amount of spangling. Splash, mottled, birchen and occasional black birds were noted.
I found myself watching flocks with somewhat changed eyes because of the influences of Shad and Centrarchid. Within the larger flocks, cohorts/tribes of 1-3 hens accompanied by 1 mature/aged rooster (going by spur size) were the norm. In the entire time there I saw no fights nor forced matings. Cockerels and pullets worked the outskirts of the flocks very politely.
At the parking area on the top of Waimaea Canyon there was a large group of perhaps 60 + birds. One very pretty Golden Duckwing rooster caught my attention. Perhaps half again larger than all other birds he had no hens with him? A group of 4 hens and one rooster caught my attention partly because of the size of the group and also the fact that it contained 2 wheaten colored hens. On a closer look my brain went, "Wait a minute there's a second rooster in this cohort." Two BBR roosters exactly the same size, age, condition working side by side to shepherd this group of beautiful hens. So close together that they were frequently making inadvertent physical contact. On the far side of the parking a third wheaten hen made her appearance. The golden duckwing rooster was after her in a heartbeat. One vocalization from her and both BBR roosters flew to her rescue. She rejoined the 'tribe', and the larger rooster showed subordination by submissive stature and raised feathers on the back of his head. He evidently had history with the two roosters in this coalition. I couldn't help wondering if perhaps those had been his hens usurped by these two much smaller roosters working as a coalition.
Postcards, pictures ? Y'all know me better than that.
