I have three hens born in April with a Rooster also born in April. I have done alot of research about how to properly care for them. They have become part of our family. We got them for pets and have become very attached to them. We built them a predetor-proof coop and attached an extra large dog kennel to it for them to spend time in. Over the summer, I started letting them have some free-range roaming time out on our 12 acre land. They LOVED it! Over time, I didn't see any signs of preditors, saw no hawks or anything, and started feeling more comfortable with letting them have more and more time outside of the "chicken yard". They enjoyed it so much and were so happy I couldn't make myself take their daily freedom away from them. Everything was just great. Until Tuesday. We got home from work and didn't see the flock, but that was not abnormal, they had a lot of yard space to roam. We ate quickly and rushed out for football practice. When we got home, it started getting dark so I went out to gather eggs from the coop and lock them up for the night. When I opened the door, the 3 hens were there bedding down for the night, but Ricky Roo (our beloved, kind-hearted banty rooster) was not there. I freaked out because he never left his girls. I called my husband in hopes that maybe he had gone into the shop and Ricky might have followed him in there and got shut up in there, but nothing. I called and called for him listening for his crow, knowing it was a lost cause, and nothing. We have searched the area for any sign of him, even for a scattered pile of feathers from an animal attack, but have found nothing. He has just vanished. I can only assume that he was taken by a hawk. I am absolutely devistated! I have cried for 2 days staight. I am able to talk about it breifly now without crying, but if I think about it alot, I start crying again. I miss him so very much and kick myself for not being more careful. Needless to say, the girls are staying inside the chicken run (fenced area) and are no longer aloud to run free for their own safety. The wierd thing is that they seem to be depressed too. I don't know if I am just reading it into their behavior because I am. They are being very quiet, maybe they miss Ricky too or maybe they just are not happy about being locked up again with little freedom to go where they please.
Ricky was the best little rooster. He licked to climb un onto my shoulder and rub his head in my hair. He crowed in the morning, during the day, and in the evening, pretty much all the time. It is very quiet here without him now. He was the first rooster I have ever had the privilage of owning and he was the best. My 5 years old son, who loved him as much as I did and has also had a difficult time dealing with the loss, tells me he is up in Heaven know with God and watching us and that we will see him someday.
One of the hens has been broody for a couple of weeks now. I know that it may be too late in the year to let her hatch them with cooler weather coming, But I am letting her because if they are fertilized, then perhaps one of them will be l little Ricky Jr. and his legacy will live on.
and I'm sure I'll be made fun of...lol ). Glad I built a large run, because I think they will be spending a LOT of time in it...
