So Proud of my Rooster
We named him the magnificent Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and his girls are the Bennet sisters. (If you have read Pride and Prejudice, you will know who these characters are.)
He is brilliant, a barred rock with lovely red wattle and crown. And he is particularly gentlemanly - in a roguish way - and in other ways too. Letting the sisters eat the best of the food, accommodating a secondary rooster with grace, always right there when a hen is disturbed, making sure they all get into the coop at night. And except for a few minor misunderstandings between us, Mr Darcy and I have a pretty good relationship.
Well! Two days ago, i was doing some chores near the chicken area and Mr Darcy began an extremely LOUD alarm. I looked up and saw - hawks - three of them circling above. The girls dashed for cover, wherever they were - some into the greenhouse, some into the coop, others under the boughs of pine trees.
Mr Darcy kept it up for a very long time. He was so adamant that those hens keep safe. They stayed close for almost two hours before they once again began their tilling.
I was So amazed at the hold he had on them. That they knew instinctively to listen to him and what to do. And, except for the fear that I knew they all experienced, I felt I witnessed a beautiful side to things that doesn't happen every day. Very proud of them all.
Comments
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We had a barred rock rooster that was an amazing protector as well. Had a fox show up while we were gone and they were free ranging. Ended up losing five hens out of the 35 or so we had at the time. But there were his tail feathers in little piles in about 8 places around our yard where he had apparently run interference to give the girls time to get away. He was a very prolific breeder as well. When we first got him he was one of three roosters in the flock. We were trying to decide which one to keep. Went in the coop one day and found him huddled in a corner with his head pressed into the corner to protect himself as the others were attacking him and there was blood on the walls all over the coop. We kept him and butchered the other two. He showed us almost daily that we made the right choice to save him.
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A good rooster is worth a lot! 🎉🙂 These stories warm my heart.
@solarnoon.aspen Make sure that you give him a reward for his bravery.
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@solarnoon.aspen The name is perfect! Last year, for about six months, my neighbors' chickens were spending most of their time in my yard. I called the rooster Roger, after Roger Hamley, from Wives and Daughters, because he was just such a gentleman.
So, are you going to post pictures of the gallant Mr. Darcy?
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@vickeym That is how we choose which rooster to keep as well, we don't want any bullies in the flock. Right now we have three, Walter a copper Maran, and two Swedish Isbar roosters. One of the Isbars is in with 18 young hens and he is very gentlemanly and quite beautiful. His name is Sven. The other (Ingvar) is free range with Walter's flock and the two boys appear to have a tenuous peace. They both make sure the ladies get the first dibs on any food and they also protect them, as much as a rooster can. We have had some mean roosters in the past so we are careful to pick out the nice ones as keepers.
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@solarnoon.aspen Yes, pictures, please! ❤
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VickiP I know all about mean roosters. We had several roosters at one point. Most of which would attack me every chance they got. One Easter Egger that had his own little flock of ladies that were allowed to free range almost daily....Would come running from anywhere in the yard to attack me. Not my husband, just me.Even from half an acre away from me. Drew blood a couple times. Mad me so mad one day, I grabbed a long branch and chased him all over the yard. I swung at him each time I got close. Never really made contact, but it scared him a bit too. For a month or two he would not attack. After that, I was only safe if I carried a big branch with me while outside. If he did not see it he would come running, If I turned quickly and had the stick he would stop in his tracks, turn the other way and I swear you could almost hear him whistling as if to say... "I wasn't doing anything." Finally gave up and sold him to someone who wanted his beautiful colored feather for fly tying.
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I just love these stories. A good rooster is an amazing friend. And they sure do take care of their girls.
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What a wonderful story! Reading this just made the dreary day here a bright and lovely one. :)
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I think I love Mr Darcy🐓
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