Rudy the Roo

"What do we have here? Oh, it's a ...red thing!"

"I think I'll get a little closer and check out this...red thing."

"Yikes! I think it just moved!"

"Hey, you've got to come see this red thing!"

Some interesting trivia-It is a myth that bulls charge a cape because it is red. They are actually color blind and are drawn to the movement of the cape and not it's color. Chickens, on the other hand, are attracted to the color red. This explains why their feeders and waterers are generally produced in this color. It also explains why poultry with a sore or injury are so unmercilessly picked on. This also shows why Rudy was so fascinated by this red object on the driveway.

Rudy is definately a cockrel as we have guessed since he was just a couple of weeks old. He is later to feather out than the girls, but has a redder and more developed comb. Also, when he sees a stranger he attempts to crow. It is not cock-a-doodle-do, but a er-er-ooo. A adolescent attempt at the real thing.

It's a bit amazing because reading through the chicken forums I frequent these days, it seems roosters generally start to crow at 16-18 weeks of age. Rudy is just a six week old pup. I also see people posting pictures of months old chickens asking for help in identifying pullets and cockrels. Rudy, although smaller and later maturing than the girls, has been all boy from the beginning.

He is protective of his flock, as any good rooster should be. When I let them out to play recently, he ran to the door to let me know that one of his girls didn't make it out before the door swung shut. He comes running when he hears one of his girls squawk.

We had originally planned on 6 laying hens with no rooster, but I'm happy now that we will have fertile eggs in a few months so we can hatch some more babies!