My first flock of hens numbered twelve, of which three perished — one to what I presumed to be heat stroke and the other two were victims of predation. Last spring, I purchased fifteen new hens and added them to my existing flock of nine.
I am happy to report that the nine remaining hens from the original flock are still around, as is every one of the fifteen “newcomers.” All twenty-four girls are laying eggs and appear healthy.
I haven’t lost a single hen in nearly a year, which is quite an achievement considering how vulnerable chickens are to predators and how susceptible they can be to mysterious illnesses, pests, and parasites.
A part of me wants to chalk this up as a testament to my improved chicken-keeping skills, but another part suggests it might just be good fortune.
Or…it could have much to do with Richie Ricardo — the oddball rooster my next-door neighbor gifted me in the spring by throwing him over the fence. Richie had a tough time with the girls at first, but after a month or so, he established his domain and has been a vigilant guard and caretaker since.
The rooster’s presence has greatly reduced aggression among the hens. Moreover, Richie is forever on the lookout and is quick to alert the flock of any potential risks or dangers. I witnessed this once when a bored hawk swooped down the hens toward the end of the summer.
And he does all of this without exhibiting aggression or pugnacity toward me. To claim that he enjoys my presence would be an overstatement, but he has yet to ruffle his feathers or attack me the way some of my neighbors’ roosters attack them.
For example, last summer, a hostile rooster chased a terrified four-year-old boy over a hundred meters down the street here in the village. Rumor has it that the poor fellow ended up in a pot the very same evening — I am, of course, referring to the rooster, not the boy.
So, here’s to you, Richie! May you live long and never see the inside of a pot!
I am happy to report that the nine remaining hens from the original flock are still around, as is every one of the fifteen “newcomers.” All twenty-four girls are laying eggs and appear healthy.
I haven’t lost a single hen in nearly a year, which is quite an achievement considering how vulnerable chickens are to predators and how susceptible they can be to mysterious illnesses, pests, and parasites.
A part of me wants to chalk this up as a testament to my improved chicken-keeping skills, but another part suggests it might just be good fortune.
Or…it could have much to do with Richie Ricardo — the oddball rooster my next-door neighbor gifted me in the spring by throwing him over the fence. Richie had a tough time with the girls at first, but after a month or so, he established his domain and has been a vigilant guard and caretaker since.
The rooster’s presence has greatly reduced aggression among the hens. Moreover, Richie is forever on the lookout and is quick to alert the flock of any potential risks or dangers. I witnessed this once when a bored hawk swooped down the hens toward the end of the summer.
And he does all of this without exhibiting aggression or pugnacity toward me. To claim that he enjoys my presence would be an overstatement, but he has yet to ruffle his feathers or attack me the way some of my neighbors’ roosters attack them.
For example, last summer, a hostile rooster chased a terrified four-year-old boy over a hundred meters down the street here in the village. Rumor has it that the poor fellow ended up in a pot the very same evening — I am, of course, referring to the rooster, not the boy.
So, here’s to you, Richie! May you live long and never see the inside of a pot!
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