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

[speckledhen]

He got the message, said he'll get in touch, that pipes burst at his work or something. So, I guess we'll see.

 

[speckledhen]

I still have not heard from the guy so I have (under my husband's name) joined several chicken groups in this area to post their pictures. We just had a crazy circus here with them and they need to go elsewhere so I won't drop dead in the heat. I had let them out to free range and they put themselves back into the pen and were dustbathing. Let's just say they were adamant about continuing that.
The hero of the day was my sweet (and scrappy) Mace. After them avoiding the barn doors repeatedly, going around and around the barn, finally three went into the barn and back to their pen, one by one. One was determnined not to go inside. So I sat a minute then decided to turn the old BR hens with their little bantam Cochin man, Mace, out. I did that because Bash would have chased them and likely dropped dead in the heat before he could clobber one. Two, my late black bantam Cochin rooster, Xander, who we called The Munchkin Dictator, used to round up all the Brahma cockerels and sometimes discipline them. So, what did I have to lose? No way Mace would allow them to assault any one of his women.
It was Split Point guy being the jerk today. He had finally come back to the side of the barn where Mace and his girls were eating the scratch that the others had left in front of the door. He then decided he really wanted to go home, but as he came cautiously toward the door, he got within a foot of Mace, who just lowered his head and figuratively stomped his feet at him. That boy shot into the barn aisle so fast, he was a blur, and I closed the screen so he couldn't double back on me. Finally, he went far enough down the aisle so that he saw his door was open and went inside. They earned themselves a day or two that inside pen. I am not chasing those knuckleheads in this heat. I had zero trouble with them yesterday.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It's like that. One day nice the next day troublemaker. I have low tolerance for cockerel shenanigans. Those large boys can cause all kind of troubles. Glad the attitude of bantam Cochin rooster won the round.

 

[speckledhen]

It's like that. One day nice the next day troublemaker. I have low tolerance for cockerel shenanigans. Those large boys can cause all kind of troubles. Glad the attitude of bantam Cochin rooster won the round.

Yeah, maybe I should always run a bantam Cochin rooster with the younger groups, teach them some manners. Xander was hysterical herding those gangly, scruffy cockerels all around the pen and Mace seems to be continuing that fine tradition. He's with the BR hens specifically because he's such a scrapper and couldn't get along with Gunnar.
Edited for stupid typo

 

[speckledhen]

I attempted to take pictures of the two groups, my core BR flock (mainly Angus) and the "bachelor pen crew".
Nathaniel, Duncan and Angus show signs of a few IQ points above the other four males, LOL. They are so much easier to get back in the barn because either Duncan or Nathaniel will take the lead and march right in, generally followed by the pullets and Angus. So far, shaping up to be a great team and I believe I picked the right guys. I only managed a couple of pictures of Angus and Duncan and gave up in the heat.
I have to say that the Floppy Comb guy is just a tank and a half and also, loves lording his dominance over the other three and he really targets the one we've been calling Little Man (who is nothing like a little man anymore-both those brothers from that pen have huge broad heads and nice combs), but their personalities leave something to be desired; they are not aggressive, but would rather die than be touched or, egads, picked up! I observed Little Man bullying his larger brother today, surprised me a bit. He really isn't a bad looking guy at this point in time, but his skittish "I'll die before I submit to being touched" attitude, to the point of running into walls, is irritating.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'd love to see a picture of those cochin Polish crosses

Blurry as I had to zoom and chase them everywhere,

 

[speckledhen]

Super cute, Lisa. They sort of remind me of a group of three sisters I had, a Cochin/Silkie x BR cross, named Kate, Tux and Olivia. We called them The Poufy Head Sisters, best little hens ever.

I had a nice long phone conversation with Jamie Duckworth, who thanked me for all the little updates. I thanked him for wanting them and being so accessible. A great guy to learn from, without question.
I have two versions of this video, one is unlisted and was made specifically for Jamie. The other is basically the same, but slightly less edited so longer by a minute, and it is my Name That Pullet contest video for my subscribers. If you're interested, go and participate. I'll give a mystery prize to a person whose name suggestion I use.

Contest video:

Oh, last night I was closing down the rollup door on the back of the barn, rolled it down and something fell from over my head. I thought what the heck was that? Glanced to the left and a rat snake was squiggling away from me. That thing almost fell right on my head, ick. I couldnt find it to remove it, but if it wants in, that corrugated metal door gives it a perfect tunnel to slither around and into my barn. Thankfully, I have no tiny chickens in there now and almost no eggs for it to eat. I hate that door.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

I would have fainted dead away

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would have fainted dead away

I would have run screaming obscenities, and crying. I have a terrible fear of snakes.

 

[speckledhen]

I would have fainted dead away

Well, I wasn't happy. It wasn't as big as the last one I encountered near the barn, but big enough. I don't kill them because the eat mice, but I surely prefer them not inside the barn. We were catching a mouse here and there in our traps for awhile, then nothing. Maybe he/she is the reason.

I would have run screaming obscenities, and crying. I have a terrible fear of snakes.

I'm not a fan, either, but we've rescued rat snakes that became caught in deer netting more than once because of their mousing abilities. We've also had to save baby birds in nests around our porch from them, if we get there in time. And they were usually big ones. They have an off-putting musky smell close-up which I'd rather not have experienced.