We've now had Remy, our New Hampshire cockeral, for 1.5 months. He'll be 7 months old on Thursday, and while he is now used to my DH and I and gives us no trouble at all, he's ever wary and skittish around strangers (and he doesn't get exposed to many, so we're not sure that's going to change).
This weekend, my sister-in-law and her husband (Greg) came to celebrate my DH's birthday with us. They like our chickens and are considering starting their own flock, but this was the first time they've visited since we got Remy. While I warned them both that Remy needs a warm up period with strangers, Greg apparently didn't really believe/understand.
So the flock is out free ranging in the yard when they arrive, and the first thing Greg does when he gets out of the car is greet my DH and I and then over to see the chickens. He liked Remy on the spot, but the feeling was not returned and Remy wouldn't get within reach of him. My DH went to get some of their favorite treats for Greg to offer and make peace with, but Greg decided to take his own approach (even though I was warning him to wait for my DH and his wife was just watching with a big smirk on her face).
So what was his approach...Greg raised his arms over his head and started bounding towards Remy saying, "Chicken! Chicken! Here chickens! Chickens! Chickens!" Keep in mind that Greg is over 6ft tall and about 200lbs and has a rather deep, booming voice. But while this may sound crazy, the hens often WILL respond positively to such ridiculousness and even come over (for treats). This is apparently what Greg was remembering, but Remy was not at all keen on this.
As Greg, more or less, flailed towards the flock, Remy snapped; no warnings issued. Like a flaming arrow of doom he launched right at Greg's man parts! Greg didn't know what to do as he stumble-hopped backwards trying to get the homicidal whirlwind out from between his legs. In a valiant effort at extricating himself from the tangle, Greg took a flying, spread-eagle leap backwards. At the apex of his jump, I saw Remy leap once again....and manage to shove his HEAD up Greg's short's pant leg (literally, his whole head up leg in mid-leap). I thought for sure that he'd have Greg by the jewels and methods for explaining such an injury to a doctor ("Well, a rooster pecked my package....") started coming to mind as I took off across the yard to break the battle up.
Fortunately, both sides were completely intact, but I had to pick Remy up and head for the run because he would NOT let him move; he just stood right in front of him and crowed and crowed and crowed. He wasn't taking any more of his crap!
For the rest of the weekend, while he didn't attack, whenever he saw Greg, he started crowing and wouldn't quit until he was out of sight.
Greg learned to respect the chicken.
This weekend, my sister-in-law and her husband (Greg) came to celebrate my DH's birthday with us. They like our chickens and are considering starting their own flock, but this was the first time they've visited since we got Remy. While I warned them both that Remy needs a warm up period with strangers, Greg apparently didn't really believe/understand.
So the flock is out free ranging in the yard when they arrive, and the first thing Greg does when he gets out of the car is greet my DH and I and then over to see the chickens. He liked Remy on the spot, but the feeling was not returned and Remy wouldn't get within reach of him. My DH went to get some of their favorite treats for Greg to offer and make peace with, but Greg decided to take his own approach (even though I was warning him to wait for my DH and his wife was just watching with a big smirk on her face).
So what was his approach...Greg raised his arms over his head and started bounding towards Remy saying, "Chicken! Chicken! Here chickens! Chickens! Chickens!" Keep in mind that Greg is over 6ft tall and about 200lbs and has a rather deep, booming voice. But while this may sound crazy, the hens often WILL respond positively to such ridiculousness and even come over (for treats). This is apparently what Greg was remembering, but Remy was not at all keen on this.
As Greg, more or less, flailed towards the flock, Remy snapped; no warnings issued. Like a flaming arrow of doom he launched right at Greg's man parts! Greg didn't know what to do as he stumble-hopped backwards trying to get the homicidal whirlwind out from between his legs. In a valiant effort at extricating himself from the tangle, Greg took a flying, spread-eagle leap backwards. At the apex of his jump, I saw Remy leap once again....and manage to shove his HEAD up Greg's short's pant leg (literally, his whole head up leg in mid-leap). I thought for sure that he'd have Greg by the jewels and methods for explaining such an injury to a doctor ("Well, a rooster pecked my package....") started coming to mind as I took off across the yard to break the battle up.
Fortunately, both sides were completely intact, but I had to pick Remy up and head for the run because he would NOT let him move; he just stood right in front of him and crowed and crowed and crowed. He wasn't taking any more of his crap!
Greg learned to respect the chicken.
