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

[Mother of Chaos]

I keep telling him to get his hearing tested. it was horrible enough before his left ear suddenly shut down. Fortunately, he can get hearing aids from the VA...IF he'd even go get his hearing tested. I already know he only hears mid-range sound. Too high pitched or too low and he can't hear it. I told him that if this doesn't clear up some in a few days, he needs to go see what's up.

As former military, there’s a good chance that he might be found service-connected for hearing loss, if he served with artillery, for example. (Former paratroopers are almost always SC for bad knees from their jumps.)

If so, there’s a good chance that any treatment for hearing loss would be fully covered by the VA.

 

[speckledhen]

He wasn't in combat. He maintained the telemetry on the ARIA (Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft). He does have a disability rating for his joint and back issues, but his hearing used to be really good. He can still have his hearing tested and get hearing aids, but you know how some men are. They just refuse to wear them.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

He wasn't in combat. He maintained the telemetry on the ARIA (Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft). He does have a disability rating for his joint and back issues, but his hearing used to be really good. He can still have his hearing tested and get hearing aids, but you know how some men are. They just refuse to wear them.

Vanity, it’s a doozy

Tell him that uncorrected hearing loss is associated with early dementia and increased risk of falls. That often scares people into deciding that hearing aids might not be that bad after all.

 

[speckledhen]

Vanity, it’s a doozy

Tell him that uncorrected hearing loss is associated with early dementia and increased risk of falls. That often scares people into deciding that hearing aids might not be that bad after all.

I may need a megaphone first, LOL. It's draining to yell and repeat every word you say.

 

[1muttsfan]

I thought I had suddenly lost the hearing in one ear several years ago. Turned out an upper respiratory infection had caused a wax plug in one ear. Problem quickly solved.

 

[speckledhen]

I thought I had suddenly lost the hearing in one ear several years ago. Turned out an upper respiratory infection had caused a wax plug in one ear. Problem quickly solved.

Honestly, I think that's what it is on his left side, it was so sudden. His hearing has been declining for the least five years or so, but this is something else. I finally went to the doctor about my cough and I loathe going to any doctor for any reason so he can suck it up and go himself. It's like getting a child to go to the doctor. Guess I really don't blame him, he has so many different ones for his heart, his kidneys, his joint issues. I was extremely well for so many years, I never even thought about going except my once per year testing to see if my thyroid meds were still in proper dosage, my only ongoing health condition. In short, I'm healthier than he is.

Today is my second day of antibiotics (Cefdinir, never had it before, but, I haven't taken antibiotics in many years) so I hope this solve my own issue that has been majorly interfering in my life since the beginning of spring. I never thought I had an infection, but you see how that turned out. The doctor even scoped my nose and throat and saw nothing odd until they did a CT scan of my sinuses so you never know. I think the all those mild allergies I tested positive for have likely been there for years since it's for most things on my own land (several trees, grasses, mold, dust, etc.) so my guess is the deep sinus infection that is the real culprit. If I went and got answers, so can he.

By the way, Mary, having Angus and Nathaniel here, it feels like i have Hector back, but in two parts, LOL. Those two are so funny, nothing alike, but both remind me of that big old goober every day. I hope their good behavior continues. I have the same feelings with Angus that I had with Hector as a young cockerel, that strong personality and energy that made him unique and at times in his youth, a little challenging. I will never forget him at 6 weeks old dancing around those big Stukel hens and them running from him. I really wish he'd lived longer than 6 1/2 years since three of his hens are still here three years later (this month is 3 years), but when you gotta go, you gotta go. And every time I cut the grass around that group of graves, I see the sweet plaque that Cheryl had made for him when he passed so he reminds me of her as well. Both were very special.

 

[speckledhen]

BIG NEWS!!!! We have our first egg from The Omega Rocks, courtesy of Hannah. Jamie said I'd probably have to wait until October. I said I didn't think so, that she's squatting already, all of them are. Today while they were having free range time, Angus went nuts, thought something was wrong, went out there and he was going nuts because Hannah was settling into a nest. Awhile later, he went off again like a pack of coyotes were invading. This is what I found.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Wow, that's really early. Congratulations.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

BIG NEWS!!!! We have our first egg from The Omega Rocks, courtesy of Hannah. Jamie said I'd probably have to wait until October. I said I didn't think so, that she's squatting already, all of them are. Today while they were having free range time, Angus went nuts, thought something was wrong, went out there and he was going nuts because Hannah was settling into a nest. Awhile later, he went off again like a pack of coyotes were invading. This is what I found.
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Does Angus count Hannah as one of his girls?

I'm always fascinated by roosters showing paternal behavior when there are more than one and no way for a rooster to know he's the daddy. (Breeding pens excepted, obviously.)

 

[speckledhen]

Does Angus count Hannah as one of his girls?

I'm always fascinated by roosters showing paternal behavior when there are more than one and no way for a rooster to know he's the daddy. (Breeding pens excepted, obviously.)

I can tell you that I've seen Nathaniel mate the pullets several times, never caught Angus at more than head feather pulling, though obviously, I'm not with them 24/7. Angus wil knock Nathaniel off the girl if he catches him, but I think Angus considers them all his girls, as does Nathaniel. Angus is the main breeding rooster, or he considers himself so at this point; he's so much more dominant than Nathaniel. Roosters may have their favorite girls, but they rarely discriminate when it comes to breeding behavior, especially at this young age. A hen can remain fertile by that rooster for two to maybe three weeks just off one mating and it's hard to know which is the sire other than the progeny can look like one or the other. I could always tell which splash bantam Cochin youngsters belonged to Gunnar or Bodie just by their combs, but it's not always that easy. Even Phoebe has the Bodie version of female comb shape/size so she's likely Bodie's daughter. For example, I could tell that Axel was Bodie's son and Dane was Gunnar's. The personalities also carried over with those two sires. Can't say it will be that easy with Angus and Nathaniel, but we're a ways off from hatching from this group.