Our original order with the hatchery was 25 female chicks. For shipping purposes two extras were included to bring our total to 27. (They want to ensure the chicks stay warm, and are packed tight enough that they don’t slide around during shipping). Ah, but then there was the ‘bonus rare or exotic breed’ chick that they add to the order for fun and head-scratching purposes!
Our free bonus 'rare or exotic breed' chick
On March 29th, we received 28 chicks. Ten were placed elsewhere, between two friends who wanted just a few hens for eggs, but didn’t want to have to take an entire order of 25 chicks (which is the average minimum shipment for most hatcheries).
That left us with 18. Of those, we have three Partridge Plymouth Rocks. However, and it really doesn’t matter if you have ever kept chickens, but do you notice something here? One of these things is not like the other…
Partridge Plymouth Rock Pullet
Cock-a-doodle doo...I'm going to be a Partridge Plymouth Rock ROO!
I’m happy to say that I personally am not afflicted with ‘cankles’. I can’t say the same for our future ROOSTER! No strappy sandals for HIM this summer!
Our future Roo's feet (left), versus the more gracile feet of the pullet (right)
On the upside, we’re zoned agricultural, and our lot is large enough (and we’re rather centered within the lot) that hopefully our neighbors won’t be too annoyed. I can hear a rooster up behind us, that most days, especially sunny days, crows from sun-up to sundown. It’s distant enough to be charming. I wonder if this rooster will be charming?
However, that mystery bonus ‘rare or exotic breed’ chick. Remember that chick? The one dubbed ‘Frodo’ for the rather fuzzy hobbit-like feet? Mr. Hairy Legs…the goof-ball with the legwarmers?
Frodo's feet at four weeks
Frodo's feet at nine weeks
I’d been scratching my head recently for a female hobbit name, just in case (to go with those hairy feet)…but it turns out that I needn’t have worried. We now officially have a Dark Brahma Rooster named ‘Frodo’!
Handsome Frodo - a Dark Brahma male at 9 weeks
Yep, rooster #2! Well…actually, Frodo would say he was rooster number 1…’cankle roo’ was supposed to be a hen!
It’s not a big deal, except that two roosters…together, after about 4-5 months of age, can become a big problem! Fortunately, we can either house one with our older hens…or even pen him up with the turkeys at night if need be. We have room. We just weren’t quite counting on TWO roos!
That said, if you ever purchase chicks, you do have to be aware that even the best hatcheries only guarantee 90% on sexing accuracy. For 28 chicks…rounding up…that could potentially land us with THREE roosters for our order, statistically speaking. It’s just good to be aware of that when you purchase chicks, whether from a hatchery, a feed store, or an advertisement from a local farm/breeder. It’s not so much that the person doing the sexing of the chicks isn’t good at it. There can be some ambiguity. The chicks are 1 day old, and there is a lot of breed, and some individual, variability at that age. Good hatcheries put the ‘I dunno’ ones in the rooster pile, some guarantee a lower percent. Also know that a much greater percentage of roo chicks are culled in the first day or two. The demand is for girls, not boys, thus we expected our ‘bonus’ to be male.
We’ve never had roosters here on the farm. I rather like my sleep. However, we’re somewhat looking forward to having them around. For the Partridge Plymouth Rock, who in time will be very stunning in his coloration, it gives us the potential to breed pure Partridge rocks here at the farm, as we also have two pullets of the same breed, and it’s a somewhat uncommon coloration for this breed.
Frodo still has a LOT of growing to do
As for ‘Frodo’, well, heck…he’s an awfully handsome chappy, and I have to admit, I now rather wish we had a dark brahma female for him. Of all our chicks, male or female, he genuinely has the nicest disposition of any bird we’ve ever had here at the farm. I’ve never been fond of feathery footed chickens, mostly because I’m concerned with our heavy rainfall some years, that they’d turn into muddy-buddies out in the yard. However, we’ve also never had Brahmas before, and now I see why some swear by the breed. I’m genuinely smitten. So far, Frodo has proven to be an unbelievably sweet bird who really loves to have the top of his head rubbed.
That said…’Frodo’ has been a bit of a trouble-maker lately, albeit it hasn’t really been his fault. Remember some of the early video, where all the gals were dressed to the nines, and ‘Frodo’ clearly missed the ‘formal wear required’ on the invitation? Well…
Two weeks ago, at seven weeks old, we turned all the chicks out in the main coop. Two days later, I found ‘Frodo’ bleeding in the run. I also found a Delaware and Golden Laced Wyandotte pullet repeatedly bashing poor ‘Frodo’s’ wrists, because the silly roo had no feathers there, and scraggy looking pin-feathers across his back. Up to being out in the run, they’d all rather been alright with him. But around 7 1/2 weeks the other chicks noticed that he was different. Different to a chicken, is a reason to peck, and pick, vex, annoy, and otherwise cajole the one who is different.
Frodo doesn't look like the others, and for a chicken, it's not always good to be different
Any blood in a run, can insight a frenzy. Believe it or not, when chickens see blood, at least for some, there’s something of a red-haze that comes over them, and you suddenly find yourself with a coop full of piranhas. For ‘Frodo’s’ sake, I pulled him out.
I couldn’t take him alone, as chickens are social creatures, and become quite depressed if housed alone. I grabbed a sweet little Black Australorp to be his room-mate, mostly because of all the breeds we purchased, these seem to be generally the least antagonistic.
So, Mr. Fuzzy Pants, ‘Frodo’, has been living back in the brooder box in the office ever since. We treated his minor wound, he scabbed over, and the scab is now gone. Thankfully, as they were pecking at, and traumatized his feather follicles, the follicles now seem fine, and his feathers are starting grow in normally…very very very slowly. Only slow because, well, he’s a Brahma! They take well over a year to mature…especially the males.
Frodo's back - So long as skin is showing, we'll leave him out of the main coop
I may overdo it here, but erring on the side of caution, I’m going to keep ‘Frodo’ separated for this week. Once there’s no visible skin, which should be soon, I will try reintroducing him to the rest of the flock. Hoping that once he’s decent, and everything is covered, even if not fully feathered, that the girls won’t be so interested in picking on him. With the knowledge that in a couple of months, either he, or the Partridge rooster, need to find alternative accommodation.
In the meantime, if you still need a baby chick fix, don’t forget to stop by Jackie’s Secret Garden…she just bought FIVE new baby chicks!
I love these updates. Both of your roosters are very lucky they ended up at your place. I’ve heard a lot about people dumping the unwanted roosters. There is a park near us just full of chickens and roosters that people have dropped off because they no longer want them.
Frodo really is beautiful!
.-= Catherine´s last blog ..Fertilizer Friday – May 28th. =-.
I can remember… Did Frodo get the hobbit name for small size, or furry toes?
.-= lisa´s last blog ..Manhattanhenge, or the intersection of nature and the city. =-.
So much drama in the chicken coop! I love Frodo’s furry feet! He is so cute….poor, hen-pecked little guy.
Wonder where the phrase ‘pecking order’ came from. Poor Mr. Fuzzy Pants.
.-= wiseace´s last blog ..Iris to Love =-.
We’ve actually been really lucky that we haven’t gotten a roo yet. We have 11 girls and, well, we should have gotten at least one roo by now.
.-= Dog Island Farm´s last blog ..Saturday’s Farm Diary – Maker Faire =-.
We’d been lucky too…up until now. Now we’re making up for it 😛 Although, I think two might be manageable here. It will take Frodo longer to start crowing at least, as these Brahma roos take so long to mature.
Oh, they all are so cute….especially while they are small. So, you expected to have girls and got some boys. I know that feeling. We thought we’d have one girl, but somehow ended with two boys… Well, those roosters can change your life. Like to get up early? I know, you are already getting up early! Will wait for an update.
.-= Tatyana´s last blog ..May 2010 Blooms =-.
Well, I’m a morning person at least. Unfortunately, I remember being on a friend’s farm years ago, and their rooster started about 3:30-4 AM every morning 🙁
I guess charming is in the eye (or ear) of the beholder, eh? I think listening to a rooster or two is better than a bunch of guinea fowl or peacocks that make a terrible racket. But I guess it could get old rather quickly.
I hope Mr Frodo gets back in the good graces of the flock soon!
.-= villager´s last blog ..Cherry, Cherry =-.
Poor Frodo! I hope he’s ok and can go in with the rest soon enough 🙂
Good luck getting your sleep once they mature… At least you won’t need an alarm much longer!
Oh, Frodo! I’m very pleased he can wear his male name with pride now, but sorry to hear that he has been getting a hard time from the girls 🙁 Now I understand where the expression ‘hen pecked’ comes from!
Those feathery feet sure are a sight to behold!
.-= Heidi (GippyGardener)´s last blog ..Rose Diary / Survey Day – Late Autumn Tough Guys =-.
Frodo is lovely and I’m so glad that you finally discovered his bred and that he’s a he! Poor wee thing being henpecked!
My friend just got rid of 2 roosters she had reared from little chicks – she just couldn’t have them as the neighbours would not appreciate the early wakeup calls. I can hear a rooster in the distance from this garden – and thankfully its in the distance – I would not want one too close to the house. She’s got one of her orphingtons broody just now.
Glad you’ve got the space to keep the roosters and bred from them. You’ll have plenty of fertilized eggs from now on.
.-= Rosie@leavesnbloom´s last blog ..Jewellery showcase in the Garden =-.
It is unfortunate that roosters tend to be rather socially unacceptable in more urban environments. It just makes a for a lot of unwanted birds. A lot of animal shelters get swamped with them in the spring. We’re fortunate to have room for a couple here, but roosters need their own space, so even we couldn’t take on too many at once. It nice though that we would be able to add to our flock without bringing in birds from the outside (and risk introducing diseases to our flocks).
Aw, I’ve become rather fond of Frodo throughout this series. I’m happy you can finally i.d. him, and I do hope he gets some peer acceptance soon. I had no idea chickens would peck at a “different” one until there was blood — not a very useful trait for their evolution as a species, it would seem.
How wonderful that you may be able to breed rare, heirloom poultry soon, Clare, just because it’s kind of hard to tell sexes when they’re only a day old! (You’ve got me thinking about how strange it would be if we couldn’t tell a baby’s sex for a while after birth.)
.-= Meredith´s last blog ..hang in there (focus: week 21) =-.
Your stories and images are always as delightful as they are educational. Thank you so much! I’m going to tweet this one for my eco-garden friends in Twitterville.
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I’m in love with Frodo! Who knew that a cockerel could get picked on by pullets?! I think once he becomes fully feathered, he’s gonna be gorgeous and those hens will wish they’d been nicer to him 😉 Thanks for the shout out!
.-= Jackie´s last blog ..The new coop installed =-.
Those befeathered feet are just awesome! Frodo is fit for the catwalk!
.-= Camissonia´s last blog ..‘Vista’ Fire in La Cresta =-.
The drama just builds and builds! It’s like a prime time soap opera over there!
.-= Christine´s last blog ..Plant of the Week: Firecracker Flower =-.
Poor Frodo!! Its a bird eat bird world out there. I’m putting some chicken coop photos from Chelsea out soon……but I think yours are much better! UDG
.-= Urban Dirt Girl´s last blog ..no buzz…. =-.