The New Generation of Flock Protectors *Lost One Today 11/18 *

[speckledhen]

Isaac, my wonderful Delaware rooster, will be turning 5 years old after the first of the year, so as some of you know, I've been raising up some of his sons for when his dreaded departure happens. I wasn't sure if I'd keep one or two or more of them, realizing that I really don't have the number of hens for a high number of roosters, however, recent fox activity (as well as evidence of other, previously unknown, unheard and/or unseen predators for here) have helped me decide that I do want more than just two. So, after yesterday's rehoming of Ira, one of the middle cockerels, I am left with three cockerels in the main coop and two 12 week old males growing out with the older hens in the retirement coop. Unless someone gets stupid and turns mean, these are the ones who will be staying to oversee the free range main flock.

My chosen Fearless Five:

Indiana Jones (Indy), 25 weeks old, Del x BR, out of big Ida.





Rex, 23 weeks old, Del x BR, also out of Big Ida:



Deacon, 21 weeks old, out of Isaac with the Tiny Terrorist, weird Amera-Sumatra hen.





And the 12 week olds:

Gabriel, out of Rita, the red BLRW x Ameraucana hen





And Scout, Del x EE, out of Maretta, who is 1/2 BW Ameraucana and 1/2 EE. He's so sweet and calm, so decided I should keep this Delawegger.







And this is why I decided to keep more than one rooster with the main flock:








And a couple of the pullets coming along:

Serena, 12 week old full sister of Gabriel. Isn't she a pretty little thing?





And Raven, who is about to lay from the looks of her. She is 24 weeks old now, out of the Tiny Terrorist, but thankfully, taking temperament from Dad.






Didn't get pictures of Delia, who hatched with Deacon. She's been in and out of nests for days now, though she's younger than Raven.

 

[theoldchick]

That's a handsome group of young men you have there.

 

[chickenneighbor]

Speckled Hen, your birds are soooo beautiful. I'm relatively new to the chicken world and noticed Rex seems to have thick legs compared to the other boys. Is this because of his breed(s), or is he still growing into them?

 

[speckledhen]

That's a handsome group of young men you have there.

Thank you! I think they're turning out pretty nice. And Indy is HUGE, as you can tell.

Speckled Hen, your birds are soooo beautiful. I'm relatively new to the chicken world and noticed Rex seems to have thick legs compared to the other boys. Is this because of his breed(s), or is he still growing into them?

Thank you! Rex and Indy both have thick legs-Indy's picture is not at a great angle, but you could be right about Rex's legs being thicker. He's shorter than Indy so appears stockier. Indy is very tall, so could be his legs are not quite as thick, or don't appear as thick compared to his massive girth. Their sire has big old legs and feet. They are certainly both still very young so not completely at their full growth yet. I really ought to find a way to weigh those two, especially Indy.

Deacon is very small bodied, very lean and his legs are definitely thinner than the other boys. His mother has influenced his build to the max, over and above his dad, for sure.

 

[Cetawin]

My handsome Rexie Poo is a big love. They are handsome young men Cyn.

 

[drumstick diva]

I love Indie, and Serena

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Indy is amazing looking! All of them are beautiful.

 

[speckledhen]

Thank you! So far, Indy has a great temperament. Rex does, too, though occasionally, he forgets his "no bite" lessons and nips when you reach for him, but no threatening and no flogging by any of them. Indy lets me scratch his chest on the roost just like Isaac does. Good thing, too. You certainly don't want a rooster of his massive proportions becoming aggressive toward you. The thing that I don't care for with Indy is his tail set is too high and his legs could be farther apart, but he's still growing and changing, being only 25 weeks old. Rex's tail angle is better and Deacon's is better, but Indy has passed Daddy Ike in size already. You can't appreciate his girth in photos, but inside the coop, you realize what a tank that boy is.

 

[speckledhen]

Found my Indy dead in the pen awhile ago with rigor already setting in. Not one mark, but neck arched back, intestines just starting to be pushed out of the cloaca. I believe that Isaac killed him by doing what he did a few days ago, hitting him from behind full force with both feet, but this time, Indy was downhill from his dad, not uphill like the first time. And if he came off the pop door ramp and hit him with that kind of force, he didn't stand a chance.

It wasn't a predator because they were in the pen and we were home and not one rooster or any of the others raised any alarms, no chaos at all, no one acting strange. He had been fine a couple of hours before we found him. He was the best of the bunch, the biggest, strongest, calmest, and with the best crow.

Tonight, this is the arrangement, with Rex just determined to roost in the same room with his daddy and most of the hens. Indy always roosted on the big ladder roost with a few and Rex and Ira, until he was rehomed. Now, this is what I'm left with:






.and Deacon roosting alone. Delia won't roost with him anymore because he keeps thunking her on the head.

 

[drumstick diva]

Oh how awful!! Poor Indy.