Hector's World: Adventures and Mayhem at Mountain View Poultry (or Sequel to The Evolution of Atlas

[1muttsfan]

Yay

 

[speckledhen]

Hector is molting out that nice tail that we waited so long to see, dang it. He is missing all the feathers on the left side. And in one pic, you see MaryJo on the left and Rowena on the right so you can see how big she's getting, though she still has that svelte teen body. Hector is not being all that nice to her yet, but when her comb pops up, I bet he will. Jill is still sitting under the roost getting pooped on; good thing that she is so bare, she has to wear a saddle, which takes most of the brunt of the incoming bombs. Good grief.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Nice. You should take up fly tying with those pretty feathers. Most of my roosters are missing their tail feathers too. My roosters molt before the majority of the hens.

 

[1muttsfan]

I know he has one too many points, but his comb is lovely, and I like his wattles also - not huge.

 

[speckledhen]

I know he has one too many points, but his comb is lovely, and I like his wattles also - not huge.

He does have a very pleasing look to him, doesn't he? Of course, body type is more important than the comb, but if he's going to have one extra point, at least they are all nicely separated and perfect. I love a beautifully balanced head on a rooster. Even Isaac, who I was told by a poultry judge here on BYC (I think it was Walt Leonard, not sure) had a stunning head, almost perfection, in spite of his extra pesky, what I call "half-point", very small, but a definite #6.

Speaking of wattles, now my late Suede, that boy had the wattles of a lifetime! Those were big ones!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Those are crazy wattles, here he would have lost most of them his first winter here. Beautiful boy. I have a chocolate Orpington rooster from this year, he looks like he's gonna be a big boy.

 

[speckledhen]

Hector is spending the night in a dog kennel. I've had it with nitpicky roosters! He attacks MaryJo, who is not ready to squat yet, so she is part-time living with June and Georgie's group, which has become the 2nd old hens' group. But, Zara likes to torment her by jumping at her while she's on the short little 2x2 special separate bar we installed for her. Well, my DH said to take Zara and Athena and put them in with Hector so MaryJo could rest in peace on her special roost bar overnight. Those two had been with Hector early on so we figured they'd be okay in there-we're not breeding anything in the BR category at this moment so it didn't really matter.

Zara squatted for him immediately and he seemed fine with her. When I went back to check later and lock the barn, I saw him grab Athena on the roost and throw her off, so both of them ended up on the floor and he could have broken her neck. Geez! Finally, DH said to grab Hector and make him spend the night in the cage since he's the problem. So, we come inside and we hear everyone in the barn caterwauling and DH said to turn off the monitor, that if they kill each other, we'll pick up the bodies in the morning. I said I was about at that point. He says he is at that point.

WTH is it with roosters who don't like the hens you give them? I'm not sure but I doubt my Brahma rooster would be so all-fired picky. If I can't give Hector any new hens, what the heck good is he? He has only Jill to breed from. Thea is wry-tailed. Rowena may never lay another egg. MaryJo, well, who knows if he'll ever accept her into the fold?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Naughty boy does need some jail time. How old is he again? From last year I think. Some of mine take 2 years before they start behaving better.

 

[speckledhen]

Naughty boy does need some jail time. How old is he again? From last year I think. Some of mine take 2 years before they start behaving better.

He's about a year and a half. He's molting so I guess he's approaching that first big molt time.

Atlas never acted like that at Hector's age. Hector has big shoes to fill. Or spurs to fill, that is.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hopefully by next year he won't be so cocky, and will be more humble and responsible. Strange that he's so picky.