I have a Phoenix rooster named Bobby Lee. He's the same age as my Silver Gray Dorking roo, Duke - but Duke is clearly the alpha rooster. Bobby Lee has always loved a couple of my White Faced Black Spanish hens - and they seem to love him. You rarely see Bobby Lee without one or two of the Black Spanishes with him.
Well a couple of hours ago, I went into the coop to check for eggs, and Bobby Lee was in there with two Black Spanishes. They were ALL digging out a nest in the corner of the coop. My Black Spanishes are late bloomers and had never laid an egg, so I just thought they were chilly and trying to snuggle up together. (It's cold and rainy here today). But Bobby Lee was making a strange noise - sort of like something between a growl and a purr. And he was doing it constantly. I was a little worried that he was breathing funny, but when I touched him he would stop. And then start back up again. All three of them piled into the corner where they had been digging that nest - and Bobby Lee was still making that odd noise.
I left them alone and went back about 20 minutes later to check on them because I never saw them come out of the coop. Well, it was indeed a nest they were building - and one of the Spanishes was grunting very hard, trying to get her first egg out. Bobby Lee was standing there right next to her. I sat on the floor next to them and a few minutes later, she finally popped the egg out. The other Spanish was clearly nesting as well, so I picked her up and put her in a nest box. She laid her egg in there a couple of minutes later.
Bobby Lee never left their side. He didn't come out until both of the Spanishes went into the yard. It was really sweet. I know some will say that chickens don't have emotions - but I know that Bobby Lee is really attached to these 2 hens and seemed very anxious as they were getting ready to lay - he wouldn't even leave their side!
Anyway, the whole thing was so sweet to me, and I wanted to share it. Does anyone else have a rooster that is obviously in love with a hen or two?
Penny
Well a couple of hours ago, I went into the coop to check for eggs, and Bobby Lee was in there with two Black Spanishes. They were ALL digging out a nest in the corner of the coop. My Black Spanishes are late bloomers and had never laid an egg, so I just thought they were chilly and trying to snuggle up together. (It's cold and rainy here today). But Bobby Lee was making a strange noise - sort of like something between a growl and a purr. And he was doing it constantly. I was a little worried that he was breathing funny, but when I touched him he would stop. And then start back up again. All three of them piled into the corner where they had been digging that nest - and Bobby Lee was still making that odd noise.
I left them alone and went back about 20 minutes later to check on them because I never saw them come out of the coop. Well, it was indeed a nest they were building - and one of the Spanishes was grunting very hard, trying to get her first egg out. Bobby Lee was standing there right next to her. I sat on the floor next to them and a few minutes later, she finally popped the egg out. The other Spanish was clearly nesting as well, so I picked her up and put her in a nest box. She laid her egg in there a couple of minutes later.
Bobby Lee never left their side. He didn't come out until both of the Spanishes went into the yard. It was really sweet. I know some will say that chickens don't have emotions - but I know that Bobby Lee is really attached to these 2 hens and seemed very anxious as they were getting ready to lay - he wouldn't even leave their side!
Anyway, the whole thing was so sweet to me, and I wanted to share it. Does anyone else have a rooster that is obviously in love with a hen or two?
Penny
