Our big, handsome, Light Brahma rooster is a gem. The best rooster we have ever had. He calls the hens when he finds a tasty morsel, he defends them from predators, (we saw him tussle with a Red Tailed Hawk, and WIN!) However, he has 3 or 4 hens which are his "special loves," and he loves them so much they have no feathers on their backs.
Exhibit A:
The birds are molting now, so it would be a good time for those feathers to regrow, if he would just leave the girls alone. But he will not. So I devised a plan. We got a door for the calf hutch that we are not using, and last night put a bag of clean shavings in there, and rigged up a roost for him to sleep on. At dusk, when the birds went into the coop, I picked him up and carried him gently to his new digs. I thought a little solitary confinement for the boy would give the hens a chance to rest up and let their feathers come in.
This morning, armed with bowls of food and water, I went out to give the unwilling prisoner his breakfast. I cracked the door open and he hit it with every bit of force he had... and blew right past me, crowing in delight.
He proceeded to make whoopie with his favorite hens. I'll try again tonight. Hopefully I will be able to outsmart the clucker.
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