We had a Speckled Sussex banty roo and his two hens for a couple of years. They were very calm, tame, and friendly. The roo was so laid back that we had to keep him in a pen with his two hens for a long time, to protect him. A coon got in one day and killed the one hen; later he and his other hen got out somehow, but they kept to themselves and co-existed peacefully with the others. Lil Dude, (the roo) won second place in our local fair crowing competition. He was devoted to his one remaining hen, protected her while on the nest, and when she was killed by a hawk, he mourned for a long time; wouldn't crow, stayed in a corner. We got some new chickens and he was the Welcome Ambassador for them, and they quickly made friends. He was just getting really happy again when he was killed by a hawk who came into our barn. Sorry to get carried away, just trying to give you an idea what a great experience we had with ours. They were pretty, too. We miss them. OH, also, they were all fine with free-ranging; never went too far away from the barn.
