She said/He said Who's right? Who's wrong? No one!

Yesterday, late afternoon, I let the chickens out to free-range a little. The white cockerel came up and jumped on my lap as usual. I petted him for a little, then went to do some yard work. As I was walking back up the lawn he came at my foot and started biting me!!! Actually just broke the skin! I was so mad at him!! What the heck is this about?? Did he not know it was me (he does have a large head of hair) or was this on purpose? Any insight to this behavior?

First week of school and already have a sick child! He's complaining of pain on each side of his lower back (like the left and right, right around his love-handles)...? And a high fever over night. Could that be kidneys?


Sounds like a uti. Cockerel possible saw a freckle.
 
Cockerel possible saw a freckle.
I had not seen her post about the rooster, but that is an excellent guess. They will peck at anything that stands out. You should have seen my wife in the pen last week, wearing flip flops after getting light blue toenails
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Ok, so my banty sat on the eggs all night and was on there when I checked this morning. I just went back out to check on things and Raven is sitting on the eggs acting all broody and hissing and Chibi was with the rest. I took Raven off, took her egg out and put Chibi back on the nest and she walked away. Don't know if it was because Raven was still in there or what. So should I leave Raven on the nest, or should I set up the kennel and put Chibi and the eggs back in?
 
Amy, I know you're always up for kicking the goads, and a good experiment. Since you really weren't expecting a broody, and don't need more chicks this late in the year, this is what I MIGHT TRY if I were in your situation: I'd take the original eggs that were incubated over night out of the nest. Hold them in your house where the temp is below 80*. (preferably even cooler, but not refrigerated) Put some fake ones in. Wait, and see if your broody returns to the nest and if she stays over night. If she does, I'd then take her and put her in the kennel with a nest box, darken the kennel, and see if she settles for an other 24 hours. If she does, THEN, I'd give her the original eggs that have had 24 hours incubation, and perhaps 2 fresh ones, and let her have at it. She'll be in an environment where no one will usurp her matronly duty, and you'll get to play the "what if" card on the eggs. If the original +2 are too many, I'd take away 2 of the original, and give her the 2 new. That way, if the first ones don't hatch, the other 2 most likely will. If the first ones hatch, they'll only have a 24 hour lead on the others. If she leaves before the other 2 are done, you can always finish them in the bator, then slip them under her the next night.
 
Ok, so my banty sat on the eggs all night and was on there when I checked this morning. I just went back out to check on things and Raven is sitting on the eggs acting all broody and hissing and Chibi was with the rest. I took Raven off, took her egg out and put Chibi back on the nest and she walked away. Don't know if it was because Raven was still in there or what. So should I leave Raven on the nest, or should I set up the kennel and put Chibi and the eggs back in?
I'm totally serious, and I'm going to give you the scflock/blue solution. You weren't ready for more chicks, and it sounds like you really don't care if they brood or not. Leave the eggs, let them settle it amongst themselves. If they hatch, great, if not, you didn't really want them anyway. Let them get a little practice now, and when they start sitting next spring they will probably do better job. Either that, or break them
 

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