COCKADOODLEDO

ROOSTERS come in all varieties, colors, an attitude. I thought a rooster was a rooster was a rooster. Oh no, this particular rooster is called a Brahma. This one is my favorite that I've seen so far. My daughter Kimberly and her husband Kent have around 40 chickens and several hens. Lance went up a few weeks ago and helped her put sideing on the chicken coop and designed an awesome star burst above the door...photos later. Anyway, this rooster literally struts his stuff. He is bigger than all the other roosters and he knows it.


Chickens have a pecking order also which I did not know. I'd heard of the pecking order and didn't realize that it is a real thing in the chicken world. I was swinging with Mya watching Kimberly and Lance work on the chicken coop. Watching these birds was so intrigueing especially when it came time to eat and then the pecking order began. The big birds went first eating out of their large round bird feeder that sits on the ground. After a few minutes some of the other smaller chickens wondered over and lined up like they were waiting to buy tickets, one after the other. I noticed one chicken struttin over towards the feeding dish and tried slidding in along side of the fence thinking he was going to pull one over on the rest. As soon as he got to the fence and stretched his long neck to try and snatch some food the other roosters all at once freaked out and pecked at that chicken, sqaulking the entire time and ran him right out of there.
I yelled out "On my gosh, did you see that?" Like it was big news. Lance said, "Yes Debbie that is called the pecking order." I yelled back, "That is just mean." They both laughed at me. I could tell right then and there I would not do well on a farm . Every animal and bird would have to be nice to each other and wait their turn. Not gunna happen obviously. So I just sat on the swing taking pictures of these interesting birds.
I noticed that some would move out of the way when other birds were strutting towards them, and others would squawk and lunge towards them and peck. Yeh, totally an attitude with some of these chickens. I decided to walk over to the the food barrell and get a scoop of their feed and scatter it around on the ground to see what would happen. Well the minute I pulled the scoop out of the barrell (red in color) all chicken and hens started strutting towards me. Interesting how they were so familiar with the red scoop. I mean these are just chickens, how smart can they be? I scattered the feed over the ground and all started eating.
The big Brahma Rooster that I love cocked his head up from clear across the yard and hi-tailed it over to get his share I'm sure. Several of the other chickens immediatly scattered out of his way to give him room to pig out, the big brute!

Off to the side of me I took note of three speckeled Brahma Birds all digging a big hole, dust going everywhere. Then they all in unison wiggeled their plump bodies down into the soft cool earth, totally ignoring all the other chickens and roosters who were scarfing on the feed. They were doing their own thing and keeping to themselves. I asked Kim what was up with these three chickens. She said that they bought them when they were little chicks. They all came from the same litter and have stayed together ever since. How adorable I thought. I watched them for awhile as they keep getting up trying to get comfortable, when the big Brahma Rooster strutted over to the three other Brahma chickens who were working so hard to get their hole big enough so all three could snuggle down together. He thought he was going to get into the action. He started pushing dirt away from their hole with his feet and the three of them stood up and ran him off. I laughed so hard. "I am totally being intertained by a bunch of chickens and roosters!

Most of the laying hens go into the coop to lay their eggs. However there are some who much prefer to lay their eggs in grassy areas around the chicken coop, like under the black berry bushes, or under the apple tree where the grass grows high, or just under a bunch of tall weeds. When I help gather the eggs I always need to check all the other laying areas It is so fun to see the different colors of eggs they lay. The Brahma Hens lay blue and green eggs. The hens that Kim calls her Mrs. Dash hens because they are speckeled with all different colors, lay dark brown and tan eggs. They also gather orange color eggs.

So far I have learned that they have, Brahma, Wyanndotts, Rhoad Island Reds, Red Star, Americana, and Mrs. Dash hens and roosters.

Here are few of the pictures I have taken, most of the Big Brahma Rooster, because he is so cool looking....

Lots of chickens

I lay my eggs away from the other Hens. The coop is so messy!

"You ask, How can I stay so clean and fit in this coop of nincompoops!"

" My fluffiness is genetic but I still have to work at it."

"Humans, can't leave well enough alone, now I need to find a new spot!"

The triplets making their bed in the soft earth.

"Move on outta here Daddy'o, your not welcome"

"Fine! Who needs ya?"

"Move on over and give me some space!"

"That's more like it"

"Anyone want to hen peck the chickens?"

"Wait! What did I say?"


The chicken coop getting a face lift

Star burst looks great Lance

Nice work!

Kimberly loving the nail gun

Oooop's out of nails