I call these guys the 3 Amigos. They're 3 of the free-range roosters, Blue, Spiffy, and Owly . They spend most of the time in the front yard, and stick close together. They have learned the bird feeders in the front Bird Garden are a good place to hang out. The wild birds drop a lot of sunflower seed.The other free-ranger is the white Japanese but he prefers his own company and has never left the backyard fence. I don't know if he can't or just doesn't care to. Seems like he could, he's not a heavy bird and has what looks like strong wings.
A hawk has had its eyes on the 3 Amigos. Maybe more than one hawk. It's hard to tell because it's difficult to ID hawks unless they are perched in plain sight. I believe I saw one that was bigger than the other. I had just read somewhere that Game chickens are very self-sufficient and wise to predators. I've seen this is true. I heard a ruckus, including the guineas, and looked up in time to see a hawk make a dive at the birds as they all scattered to cover. Owly surprises me how fast he can move. He's not the most graceful chicken with his big feathered feet.
These 3 now roost on the front deck at night. Lately, they're kinda noisy. I can't see what they're doing without opening the door, but it sounds like they are fluffing their wings while trying keep snuggled together, and in the process they thump and rattle the siding. There's also a lot of dark crowing. By that I mean crowing in the dark. Roosters aren't supposed to do that, right? Well, they do. A lot. I also read that Games are noisier that way. They crow all the time. Spiffy crows at me whenever he's near or hears my voice.
Speaking of crowing. I can recognize some of the roos' voices. The OEs and the d'Uccle have the same voice and I can't tell them apart. It's a clear high pitched crow. The Buff Cochin and RIR have deep rough voices, and they don't crow often. I don't know that I've ever heard the Jap's crow.
There's been a little bit of cock fighting going on. Blue and Owly have been getting into it under the feeders. The guineas are often the bouncers that break it up. Spiffy stands by as referee, or maybe to challenge the winner?
Another thing these roos do is to peck the grass around my feet. Don't know why they do this but it seems to be some sort of communication with me. I've also seen this when garden bunnies, usually bucks, dig near my feet. Showing off?
In bunny news, I have 1 new litter. Not exactly exciting, but good enough. Kachina x Dot.com has 2. She's a 1st timer and has already proved herself a great brood doe. She only had the 2, 80% broken and solid black. I thought Dot carried for tort, but maybe not. Too bad the broken has so much color. I sure didn't expect that from Dot. I won't keep the black from this match, but I'll see how the broken turns out. Hope it's a doe.
Not much else. The weather has been wonderful. If only it would stay this way. Sunny 70s/80s during the day, and 50s at night. Yeah, this is my perfect climate. Is there a place that's like that all year round? I want to live there!
tnt
