Friday, October 18, 2013

Feathered Friend Friday: Rooster Antics

Welcome to our "Feathered Friend Friday" series. Each Friday I write a post with interesting facts, photos, or funny stories about our chickens and guineas. If you need to catch up, you'll find all the Feathered Friend Friday posts here  

I mentioned in a previous FFF post here that we ended up with four roosters when we let our hen, Ellie, hatch out some eggs this May. We had been keeping them all in a separate coop and run area, but the run was a little too small for them and they started to fight. We decided it was best if we let them out to free range each day instead of keeping them in an enclosed area together.

There is always the risk of a predator attack when you allow chickens to free range, and that is something that we understand and have come to terms with. However, we feel it's in their best interest to have more room to roam and free ranging gives them the happiest lives possible. And so far, it has been working out great. At first they stayed close to their coop, but recently they have been ranging out across the yard and up to our back porch and picnic table!


It cracks me up when I look out the kitchen door and see them on the back porch, stealing any leftover cat food they can find. They have so much personality and are really fun to watch. They tend to follow me around everywhere I go, begging for treats. And I usually indulge them, so I'm sure that's why they keep following me around. When I go down to the chicken coop in the evening, I usually have a train of roosters and cats following me down there. It's like my own little animal parade!


With all these roosters (our current count is six!) of course there is some crowing going on. It's pretty much constant crowing around here, but you know what, I really like it. The crows aren't so loud to be unbearable, and they sort of blend into the overall symphony of the homestead. It's music to my ears.


Do you have any roosters in your flock?

~Tammy

Shared with Tuesday Muse 

47 comments:

  1. Roosters crack me up. I don't think I live where I could have them. I really enjoy your photos, though!

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  2. so cute. we have neighbors that have them and i get to hear crowing all day from any direction the wind blows. :)

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  3. I love free ranging our flock days. Isn't that parade feeling just the best ~ visitors think it it so amazing when the see the chickens ,cats dogs and sometimes the ponies all join in the walk about lol
    We have two adult roosters that have their own flock girls , our big guy really puts out a huge call to scatter if he sees a hawk and everyone takes his heed and hides. The roosters really are good about keeping their flock safe .

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  4. "Symphony of the homestead" - I love that. I agree 100% about the rewards of free-ranging (the happiness of being free and able to roam) outweighing the danger of predators.

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  5. The one thing I do not like about free ranging is finding piles of droppings where I walk. The more the birds grow, the bigger the piles. Also, as you mentioned, it isn't safe. Next year I hope to have a portable coop and solar powered netting (for their protection), or at the very least a chicken tractor or two.

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  6. We have a ton of roosters right now, so lots of crowing all the time! We are going to keep the best 2 roosters in addition to our alpha roo, Reggie. They are so good for protecting the flock, providing and finding food for the girls, and are so entertaining. Too many can be bad, though. We had a couple that were the best of friends and then turned on each other- sadly, they will fight to the death and we ended up losing one because they would not stop fighting.

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  7. How exciting. I love the way your animals become so much like your family. I can imagine the train of roosters and cats... To funny. Blessings!

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  8. No roosters here, I'm not certain they're legal. Maybe one day, but for now 14 girls is quite enough!

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  9. Not sure what we will do if we end up with any roosters once we bring our chicks home. We have neighbors who are close enough that they would hear the crowing...

    Do you have any issues with the roosters fighting each other?

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    1. They do squabble a bit over food and treats, and there is definitely a pecking order within the rooster "flock." But we haven't noticed any bad fights yet, certainly nothing that has drawn blood. With them free ranging, they have enough space to get away from each other and chill out for a while if need be.

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  10. Oh Tammy I would love to see the animal parade with you as the leader. I love the music of roosters in the morning six sure would be a lot of music:) Love your photos. B

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  11. No roosters here that I know of but I do love the sound of one crowing. It brings me back to my childhood when I stayed with my grand-mother over the summer holidays. Great photos. Deb

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  12. I love the pictures! I also wanted to say thank you for being the first person to comment on my own blog!
    http://oursimplecrazycountrylife.blogspot.com/

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  13. Yes, we have one for now. Pretty wimpy guy. He was a freebie from the chick company. He is also a 'rare' bird. We think he probably cannot breed and that is why he seems wimpy. The girls have named him Timothy the timid rooster. He will actually sit on the ground and just watch the girls eat. I never saw a rooster sit. Usually they are up and about making sure all is ok in the world of chickens.

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  14. I love your photos as always and love to see that Rooster strutting his stuff. He looks like one confident guy!

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  15. How fun that they follow you. Looks like he's got something to say in that last picture, lolol. These are great, and the story is too. :)

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  16. Fantastic photos!! I LOVE #2 and #3!! Oh how I miss the crow of a rooster. I can't wait until we have more property so we can have roosters again.

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  17. That's cute your roosters follow you around! They are nice looking birds.

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  18. Tammy, they are so cute! I can picture them following you around! My neighbors have them and we can hear them crow. Have a happy weekend!

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  19. I clicked on your follower button without reading any of your post. Ask me why? I have an intuition that I am going to love this blog.

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  20. They're pretty roosters!! If their crowing doesn't bother you and you're out where it doesn't bother others - Wonderful!! Let em crow and have a wonderful life!! Great way to keep the bug population down!! And enjoy the activities!!

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  21. Another blogger I follow posted info. about "night guard solar" that you may be interested in to protect your chickens - http://www.tillysnest.com/
    I'm going to share also with my friends in a mountain area that have problems with the deer eating everything they try to grow.

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  22. I don't have roosters...but I DO have photos I took on my recent visit to Leonis Adobe -which I thought of you the whole time I was shooting them(w/my camera of course!) These guys just make me smile.

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  23. Our neighbor has roosters and I love to hear them crowing. To me, it's very comforting and nice. She also has ducks that we can hear quacking, which is another great sound.

    Your photos are great, as usual, and I love picturing you with all your animal friends following you around the yard. So cute!

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  24. I'm smiling just picturing that rooster and cat parade!

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  25. My friend has to keep her roosters separated .. they don't get along! Your family looks happy and healthy;) I'm so glad they are have the opportunity to roam. It's understandably risky but I agree .. they need their space. Have a good weekend! xxleslie

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  26. Yes, they look like a lot of fun! I do have two Roosters and used to have three. This is what I have to do as well. I let them free range, but I also let the girls out and the all go back in later in the day. As the weather gets colder, I stop doing this, because the predators do get more nerve in the winter months. They are very happy, and we all love their company in the yard. They stay very close to the coop and have lots of cover with all the bushes and trees. It is fun to feel them scraps and such. The dominant rooster is very protective of me and my daughter. The younger rooster is a little mean and like to charge us. The dominant rooster will chase him away from us and keep him in line!
    Blessings,
    Susie

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  27. Oh what lovely photos, Tammy.. Lovely cards, I am sure.. Such a beautiful bird.. xo

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  28. Those are lucky roosters! What a lovely home they have and I can just picture them all following you around in adoration. I love that last photo with the misty forest in the background. Love your blog header, too. Hugs xoxo

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  29. No. Just my 3 ladies. I'm fairly certain my neighbors are glad I don't have a rooster. I think they are allowed in my city because I know some people have them. I just don't know what the rules are for them.

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  30. Fortunately, we have just the one and he's super mellow. Love the images Tammy!

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  31. Tammy! Your CARDS won!!!! Congrats! So did the Red Sox! Until next week my friend! ;)

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  32. Oh Tammy that is great I would be in my Glory, but I know what you mean about predator's . They look happy and your doing the best you can for them.
    Sheila x

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  33. I've heard that most roosters don't get along. Your roosters are lucky that you love them so much and take such good care of them.

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  34. A great post but these pictures are just the best, great shots!

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  35. Love the picture of your roosters on the picnic table!

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  36. Oh wow 6 roosters! They are always so handsome aren't they? We can't keep a rooster in the city, but our hens all make enough noise you'd think they were trying to genderbend! :D

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  37. I would love to see the rooster and cat parade, hint hint maybe a video ;) That last picture is great!

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  38. They look so funny on those picnic tables!

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  39. You've got them trained well! We don't have chickens around here anymore, just four-footed animals. Your roosters are too cute!

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  40. Tammy-my kind of music too! I'm picturing your little animal parade-so sweet:)

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  41. Excellent photos. I love the roosters.

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