Randy proved he is a hormonal idiot this evening. Bubba was up on his roost with his ladies. The coop girls were slowly making their way to the coop with Randy watching. Once again I am sitting in my chair pretending not to look so I could catch him if he went in the coop. Trampy Judy starts to head in and Randy lost his marbles. He rushed her to breed her and she would have none of it. She ran from him and sent the distress call as he is chasing her around Russ's stall. Bubba was off the roost in a instant and charged. Randy turned tail and ran, not far but he got out of Bubba's way. Bubba stayed down until all the girls were in their spots, Randy stayed in the middle of the yard not moving and watching. I stayed in my chair. Bubba then got back up on the roost. The door to the coop is wide open with food tossed on the ground to entice him. He came to the entrance but would not go in. After a few minutes he went around the building beside it. I followed. He went to the back of the coop and was boxed in by the building. I took my shot and cornered him and caught him. I will say he has had very limited handling and I probably scared him half to death. Oh the screams he was making. He set the entire flock off and all the girls that were in the coop on the roost bolted out of it cackling up a storm. He also bit me in his panic, but not hard. Nothing like Momma hen let me have. That bite is forgiven and I know I deserved it. I packed him to the front of the building with his still screaming his head off and sat down. He was not struggling to get away. Finally he calmed down and was quiet and buried his head underneath my arm. I eased up my hold just a little bit but he was still secure. I stroked his back, shoulders and massaged his crop. He can almost like a crop massage, almost. I then gave him a once over. Eye's are clear and nose is clear. No sign of mites either. At a glance he seems healthy. A few scabs on his comb that look like he was pecked. Who knows, those could have been from Bubba. After that first quick bite he did not try to bite or peck me again and he had plenty of chances. After the once over he had reached his limit and started to struggle to get out of my arms. I settled him back down and drug the dog kennel beside the coop. I filled up a water bowl and put inside it and then placed him inside and shut the door. He also has food which he ignored. He was not happy and wanted out and paced the coop and was throwing a fit. I ignored him and set about herding the girls who roost in the coop back into it. They did not want to go back in and it was a chore. 30 minutes getting them back inside. During that time though Randy calmed down and is quiet. I stuck a broken hoe handle through the bars and he has a roost which he got on. I will probably go out as soon as it gets dark and remove him from the crate and place him on a roost in the coop. I could not hold him and herd the girls back in the coop and I needed to have the doors open until I was finished.
