Re: Merlin and the Rooster!

"\(the\)duckster" <duckster@xxxxxxxxxx> spoke these words of wisdom in
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"diddy" <none> wrote in message
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"\(the\)duckster" <duckster@xxxxxxxxxx> spoke these words of wisdom in
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"tiny dancer" <tinydancer357@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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Well Merlin almost caught himself a rooster yesterday morning. We
let him outside, and he did his usual ambling out into the yard.
Suddenly he took off *running*! Neither of us had seen Merlin run
this fast and focused.
I
mean, he was flying, around the far side of hubby's workshop at the
far
end
of the property. We were trying to figure out WTF was going on,
when just as fast, a big rooster came running out from behind the
near side of the shed. It ran, with Merlin on it's heels, and
suddenly began flapping it's wings and lifted off the ground just
high enough to clear the six foot
tall
fence. Poor Merlin looked so dejected, missing his opportunity. We
don't have any experience with roosters. We're *assuming* he's
learned his
lesson
and will avoid the yard in the future?

Merlin's used to bunny-hopping after the little frogs in the back
yard,
but
the rooster was a whole 'nother thing. ;-)

td

My neighbor raises chickens for eggs and over the years she has had
several experiences with roosters. One in particularly "Rocky" was
the meanest sob you'd ever met. He'd hide in the barn and wait for
her to come gather eggs. She's french/polish with a heavy accent and
to here her describe these forays into the barn (mixing curse words
from both languages) were side splitting.

From nowhere he'd leap out,, spurs extended, mighty rooster he, to
protect his domain. It got to where she'd have to come in the barn
armed with a broom to defend herself. I went in with her a couple of
times as much to see for myself as back up and, sure enough, you
could see him dart from hay bale to coop staking out the best
position from which to attack. It was not unusual from him to drop
out of the rafters like a raptor bird. You could almost hear him
squawk bonzai! as he attacked.

The battle joined, she'd wait, take aim and more than once whacked
him a good one before he could get his spurs into her. Like some
cartoon character, he'd shake it off and flee, but undeterred. He
would simply wait until next time.

This went on for at least three years until one morning she found him
dead in the barn, cause unknown. She's had other roosters since, but
none quite like Rocky, whom she talks about fondly to this day.

I'd say ol Merlin's got his work cut out for him if the rooster
returns.
It can more than take care of itself.

Kind regards,
(the)duckster




FWIW, People with free range chickens know that predation and risk
comes with the benefits of free range eggs. If your neighbor allow the
rooster to run free, live and let live. Whatever happens.. happens

My neighbor's chickens live in palatial surroundings. An enclosed barn,
their own little coops, nesting boxes lined with straw, fans, all sorts
of veggis along with their grains. They live with peacocks, guinea hens
and Mert the pig. Some people don't have it as well.

And the eggs are absolutely to die for. We're doing beginning agility
at DTC on Thursday nights Let me know if you are in the neighborhood
I'll bring a dozen. My treat.

Kind regards,
(the)duckster




My free range chickens are in danger of cars (they usually stay off the
road, but I've lost some there), cats (my biggest predation problem), hawks
(3rd ranked problem), fox (second biggest problem..not often.. but when it
happens.. its HUGE), raccoons, humans (I had someone steal 200 of them),
and I spend a lot of time sending dogs to herd them back where they belong,
and standing over them with a shotgun.
Right now, I have none... waiting for chicks to come on Sunday. So for the
summer, I'm starting over.

Last fall, my chickens were getting old, and not laying enough to worry
about. The predators knew there was a food source. The old hens would not
accept new/strange chicks. I developed a red mite problem. I didn't want
to deal with heating a chicken house and frozen waterers all winter.. so
all the hens left, and I broke a lot of cycles, plus got to go some places
and do some things without worrying what was eating my chickens.

Time to start over, and although I am going hunting this fall, I have a
house sitter lined up, who shoots straight :)

Offer well taken, and appreciated, but I'm done with DDTC obligations until
the August membership meeting.
.