Hi, I think I have a monogamous pair of chickens. Here is the story.
I went to a garage sale two years ago & it was an older couple. They were selling all of there chickens so that they could move. I didnt expect much, maybe 5 croses in a falling down coop, but I looked anyway. To my amazement there were like 50 chickens of all kinds of difrent breeds, sizes, & ages. several roos. all locked up in this bigish (would be big but not big enough for that many birds) run attached to what looked like a garden shed. I saw this tiny little chicken strutting around, geting pushed & stepped on. I knew he was a silkie (the hair-like fethers gave it away prety quick) & I asked if there were silkie hens to breed to the roo because the chickens I had were just molting out of there baby fethers & I had a couple bug Roos. I didnt want him geting too stresed out & hurting my babies or geting hurt by my big roos (alredy 2X his size). anyway, she said there was one & that she was setting on 5 eggs. I boght them right then & there.
when I got them home I looked them over to make sure they were healthy. they were both INFESTED with lice/mites/flees (not sure) & the roo had his feet tied together with string! it was all dug into his feet & legs & infected (no wonder he was being pushed around). I got the hen in a cage & put flee stuff on her & got her nest set up. Then my mom & me got to work trying to get the string out of this birds feet & legs.... It was slow & hard but he didnt struggle much. hours later we had them both resting in seperate cages near eachother. When I checked on them that night they were sleeping as close together as they could... so cute!
When all the flees were gone & the Roo's legs looking a bit better they were introduced to the rest of my flock. by the next day he was the "alpha" chicken. I slowly weeded out the rest of the roos & the hens all but the silkie roo, his girlfriend, and another hen that just never got a new home.
when the two hens went broody I locked up the little black one (his girlfriend) and the other one ran away. he stayed by the little black hens cage ALL the time!!! he could have run off with the other hen but he didnt. anyway, the day the eggs hatched he was running all over and making all kinds of noise. I thought somthing was attacking the birds (ducks & the 3 chickens) but nothing was, when I came out to pick him up he made a B line to her cage, SO romantic, he knew he had kids
when I put the chicks & hen in the pen he ran to them & his eyes brightend, his tail wes held higher, he just looked happier. When the chicks got into truble (they found a way to get into the dogs pen through the fencing, turn the corner, and get free) I took the hen & chicks inside expecting that I would have to keep them inside until they couldnt get through the fencing. The roo through a fit!!! he was peeved! he could hear them in there & he wanted in! I opend the door to go outsind & he almost slipped past me into the house. that night he slept on the portch aganst the door so when we went to go to school we almost steped on him! I has so sad for him
I had to let the hen & there babies outside. now he wont let me near that hen. the other one he dosnt care for as much, the regular bond between a hen & roo.
the rooster is Nigle, his girlfriend is Onyx, & the odd one out is Speckles.
I went to a garage sale two years ago & it was an older couple. They were selling all of there chickens so that they could move. I didnt expect much, maybe 5 croses in a falling down coop, but I looked anyway. To my amazement there were like 50 chickens of all kinds of difrent breeds, sizes, & ages. several roos. all locked up in this bigish (would be big but not big enough for that many birds) run attached to what looked like a garden shed. I saw this tiny little chicken strutting around, geting pushed & stepped on. I knew he was a silkie (the hair-like fethers gave it away prety quick) & I asked if there were silkie hens to breed to the roo because the chickens I had were just molting out of there baby fethers & I had a couple bug Roos. I didnt want him geting too stresed out & hurting my babies or geting hurt by my big roos (alredy 2X his size). anyway, she said there was one & that she was setting on 5 eggs. I boght them right then & there.
when I got them home I looked them over to make sure they were healthy. they were both INFESTED with lice/mites/flees (not sure) & the roo had his feet tied together with string! it was all dug into his feet & legs & infected (no wonder he was being pushed around). I got the hen in a cage & put flee stuff on her & got her nest set up. Then my mom & me got to work trying to get the string out of this birds feet & legs.... It was slow & hard but he didnt struggle much. hours later we had them both resting in seperate cages near eachother. When I checked on them that night they were sleeping as close together as they could... so cute!
When all the flees were gone & the Roo's legs looking a bit better they were introduced to the rest of my flock. by the next day he was the "alpha" chicken. I slowly weeded out the rest of the roos & the hens all but the silkie roo, his girlfriend, and another hen that just never got a new home.
when the two hens went broody I locked up the little black one (his girlfriend) and the other one ran away. he stayed by the little black hens cage ALL the time!!! he could have run off with the other hen but he didnt. anyway, the day the eggs hatched he was running all over and making all kinds of noise. I thought somthing was attacking the birds (ducks & the 3 chickens) but nothing was, when I came out to pick him up he made a B line to her cage, SO romantic, he knew he had kids
the rooster is Nigle, his girlfriend is Onyx, & the odd one out is Speckles.
