Duke

As we wait to see how far the matching will go for this next batch of referrals, finding ways to stay busy and sane are important! So earlier I promised to post about Duke. Here it goes:

Duke, our New Hampshire Red rooster, was hatched on March 30, 2008. He grew and matured more quickly than the other roosters and he actually wasn't my first pick to be the one spared from the stew pot. I had originally selected a barred rocks rooster to be the lucky one. He was not yet mature but I chose him because that variety tends to be more docile than others and after hearing all of the horror stories about roosters, I wanted the most docile bird I could find!

I put the barred rocks rooster out with the girls and he chased me out of the pen. So knowing what little I knew then, which was enough, I needed to choose again. So the more mature, New Hampshire Red, was given his fair warning that if he chased me out, he'd be in trouble.

For those who don't know, it's not the fear of being pecked, roosters have these spurs on their feet that are pretty intimidating. They can fly, they can literally rear back and use their tails to jump with their spurs aimed at their target. I've been told that they can really hurt small children.

Duke and I have pretty much always gotten along. He protects his girls though. He doesn't really care much for Sam or Daniel and never has. When Duke was younger, Daniel would stand on the outside of the pen, stick his chest out and crow at Duke. Well, Duke would get a little irritated and stick his chest out and crow right back as if Daniel were competition.

Sam tried to pat Duke on his comb (on top of his head) which I'm sure is a huge "no no!" That was the day that Duke reared back and was literally on his tail ready to spring at Sam. Fortunately I was with Sam and we got out of there quickly. After that, Sam was barred from the hen house.

Daniel has been warned a few times to stay out too. Duke will often stand in front of the door so that Daniel can't come in. One day, while Daniel was working inside the hen house, he accidentally bumped one of the hens, she squawked and carried on and here comes Duke, wings flapping and all. Daniel got out as fast as he could and hasn't gone in since!

Duke and I get along fine...a few scratch grains go a long way with him. And he is a pretty boy!