The Omega Rocks: The Last & Ultimate Barred Plymouth Rock Flock

[speckledhen]

It could be worse. My last hatch produced only 1 roo, but he's gorgeous. Probably the best roo I have ever had. Just one small problem...one leg is about an inch longer than the other. Never seen that in a chicken before. sigh.

I do envy your many choices here!



Rusty

It can always be worse! How horrible, having all these choices, LOL. I've never seen a chicken with different leg lengths, either. Crazy what can pop up, isn't it?

 

[speckledhen]

I had a funny thing happen today. I was going to put the Omegas back in the barn today and found them all lying around in the barn aisle, as they do sometimes if they hear something that spooks them. I walked in the doorway and the cockerel closest to the door jumped up and flared out his hackles, staring down at my feet. I was briefly puzzled, bent down and stroked his back, which he didn't shy away from and then realized what he was upset about...I put on a new pair of barn shoes today. They've seen my lace-free New Balance black and tan walking shoes, my muck boots with chicken motif and my hiking boots, but these were apparently unsettling to them. They are New Balance black running shoes with neon purple and orange stripes. I think the colorful stripes did it. All of them were leery of those shoes until they realized there was nothing at all to fear. Ethel cautiously approached me staring at the shoes so I tapped the toe of one and she came over to check them out.
By the way, the boy who jumped up to defend his flock was, as Lisa called him, Tank, the friendliest of the two black banded males. I noticed yesterday that his brother has pretty much caught up to him in size now and has a lovely 5 pt comb. Tank's comb is a 6 pointer like Hector's was and nicely balanced. I have such nice choices among these guys and am grateful to have them. They're all handsome, but they have the biggest spurs to fill after years with Atlas and Hector. Watching personalities closely now that they're 12 weeks old.
Also, Maggie-Ethel has been showing her acrobatic skills lately. We caught her roosting on the top of their pen door at night. That is 6 ft in the air, the walls about a foot higher than that. We had to put a board across that gap at the top of the door so Aerial Acrobat Ethel would have no place to land.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I wish my chickens would notice when I change my shoes. Although it seems to be jarring some lost memory of a turkey trying to get my boots at some point in my crazy poultry keeping lifetime.

Tank sounds like trouble. I like trouble.

 

[speckledhen]

Tank sounds like trouble. I like trouble.

I do like this guy. Yesterday, I caught that screaming nutcase, the smallest male, or was trying to catch him. He slipped to the floor trying to get away, struggling and flailing around and I couldn't get a grip on him. Just as I secured that grip, out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of the males charge up and either he was going to discipline the kid or he was coming to the rescue of his coop-mate, not sure which. I'd ilke to think he was going to read little drama-king the riot act and I should have just kept letting the kid make a fool of himself, just to see what his intentions were, but when I thought about it, I'd already picked him up. I do believe that was also Tank. At 12 weeks old, he's showing signs of a flock leader, seems to me. He saved the pullet from the same bratty male so he's front and center to handle problems already. When the hormones kick in, we'll see which way he's going to go.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hopefully he remembers you aren't a chicken. Have you ever had a human aggressive rooster? I had one years ago. A little black frizzle bantam cochin. Named him Satan and eventually he went in the freezer. It got exhausting dealing with him every day. Thankfully he has been the only one amongst many.

 

[speckledhen]

Hopefully he remembers you aren't a chicken. Have you ever had a human aggressive rooster? I had one years ago. A little black frizzle bantam cochin. Named him Satan and eventually he went in the freezer. It got exhausting dealing with him every day. Thankfully he has been the only one amongst many.

Yes, I have. One was a 24 week old Delaware, prior to Isaac's group, who became pretty bad overnight. He flew off the roost at my husband when he went to lock up that coop for the night. I told him to put him in the cage and we'd process him the next morning. He became "Jake Stew". I was not going to reproduce whatever that was in his genes. Isaac came from a related group from the same breeder in Ohio, but the temperament was much better, almost Bash-like. I won't reproduce aggressive roosters. I've had too many great ones to go down that road.
Also, a son of my first hatchery BR rooster, Hawkeye, named Dutch, turned on me at a year and a half old from a situation where I was trying to protect him from his hens picking at his wattles every night on the roost by putting him in a different coop at night. He bit me out of the blue, would rush me and eventually did flog me. Up until then, he was a great rooster, even once flew up to my husband's shoulder to see what he was looking at in the distance, shocked us both. A friend of mine asked to take him to see if a different venue would change his behavior. Didn't do much good, but she saved his life because he was on thin ice with me.

The Belgian D'Anvers were always threatening to beat me up, but a flog from one of those less than 2 lb roosters is like a puff of air. They got better in their elder years, but still wanted to threaten me and skip the flogging part, or at least the patriarch of the group did. Spike, his son, wasn't like that at all, but the D'Anver roosters are not known for their intelligence, I have to say.

 

[1muttsfan]

Any rooster that shows aggression around here gets one chance. Second episode results in immediate termination. As you say, just not worth the hassle.

We had a crazy rain this morning, it rained for over 3 hours and 4 1/2". Tropical deluge.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Any rooster that shows aggression around here gets one chance. Second episode results in immediate termination. As you say, just not worth the hassle.

We had a crazy rain this morning, it rained for over 3 hours and 4 1/2". Tropical deluge.

I'm glad that went north. Sorry you got it all.

 

[speckledhen]

Any rooster that shows aggression around here gets one chance. Second episode results in immediate termination. As you say, just not worth the hassle.

We had a crazy rain this morning, it rained for over 3 hours and 4 1/2". Tropical deluge.

We're definitely on the same page with that one. A powerful rooster can literally knock someone off their feet. I've had enough injuries for one life already!

This rain has been bad for everybody. My young friend in PA said he's completely sick of rain this season. He raises BBS Ameraucanas and has a few other breeds as well. I'm glad we live in the elevation we do as well as on top of a hill, drains very well and quickly.

 

[speckledhen]

Thought I'd post this video update here that I threw together so you can see these big guys. If you notice anything concerning other than what may be pointed out in the video, feel free to point it out.