On the coast in Ca, 100 miles N of SF, amongst the redwoods, prime chicken country for Reds and Buffs. Dizzy, was supposed to be a hen, not even after he challenged the puppy and got a nasty nip on his hind did it occur to me that she might be a he.
It was there that he got his name, Dizzy, because in the course of his recovery from the fairly severe wound he'd spend most of his time spinning around on one leg tending his haunches with his beak, in a perpetual motion until he'd lose his balance and topple over.
As he got better he transferred the wound tending into an obsessive compulsive preening routine, unbelievably vain, even for a roo! I grew up with Peacocks and Dizzy would give them a run for the money. Here he was in action. Finally he's gotten a tad bit less vain, and I like him because he's very tentative about taking food. He had to really relearn to eat after the injury and he was always by himself, so if the hens are eating he won't touch a bite until they're gone.
On to the offspring! I knew there was a broody hen, she tried 2 different places that I found but finally found a spot totally buried in the blackberry thicket, in myrtle. Said puppy is truly the protector, kept her safe from foxes and coons no doubt. Tucker. Harboring no ill will for Dizzy behind, buried in himself.
Friday 2 weeks ago there was peeping at dawn, and sure enough she was in the area I thought, but even after there was a hatch it took some time staring at the spot to see her. Looks already pretty certain we've got 2 pullets and 3 cockerels, notice the bushy tails already showing contrasted with the smooth butts. All 3 with the tails have saddle feathers as well. Predictable anyway, out of 5 to have 2 girls, exactly the number I wanted. Ironically the one day I went to town with an idea to get chicks because I didn't know if my broody hen was even still alive, 2 weeks out of the coop, she showed up. At 8 in the morning no less, letting me know she was still around and that's the only time I saw her, and since I had to go I couldn't follow her back.
The smooth tail on the far right contrasted with the bushy tail is clear here, she's the second biggest chick so i figure, she, is:
Happy egg hunting!
Zak
It was there that he got his name, Dizzy, because in the course of his recovery from the fairly severe wound he'd spend most of his time spinning around on one leg tending his haunches with his beak, in a perpetual motion until he'd lose his balance and topple over.
As he got better he transferred the wound tending into an obsessive compulsive preening routine, unbelievably vain, even for a roo! I grew up with Peacocks and Dizzy would give them a run for the money. Here he was in action. Finally he's gotten a tad bit less vain, and I like him because he's very tentative about taking food. He had to really relearn to eat after the injury and he was always by himself, so if the hens are eating he won't touch a bite until they're gone.
On to the offspring! I knew there was a broody hen, she tried 2 different places that I found but finally found a spot totally buried in the blackberry thicket, in myrtle. Said puppy is truly the protector, kept her safe from foxes and coons no doubt. Tucker. Harboring no ill will for Dizzy behind, buried in himself.
Friday 2 weeks ago there was peeping at dawn, and sure enough she was in the area I thought, but even after there was a hatch it took some time staring at the spot to see her. Looks already pretty certain we've got 2 pullets and 3 cockerels, notice the bushy tails already showing contrasted with the smooth butts. All 3 with the tails have saddle feathers as well. Predictable anyway, out of 5 to have 2 girls, exactly the number I wanted. Ironically the one day I went to town with an idea to get chicks because I didn't know if my broody hen was even still alive, 2 weeks out of the coop, she showed up. At 8 in the morning no less, letting me know she was still around and that's the only time I saw her, and since I had to go I couldn't follow her back.
The smooth tail on the far right contrasted with the bushy tail is clear here, she's the second biggest chick so i figure, she, is:
Happy egg hunting!
Zak
