Roosters | Gardening in My Rubber Boots

Jul 28

I’m FREAKING OUT!

For the last couple days I’ve watched these little red spots (wattles) develop under Licorice’s beak. This morning they look huge! I’m freaking out. Is Licorice a ROOSTER? Can this even be possible?

Please be a hen, please be a hen, please be a hen...

Why am I freaking out? If she turns out to be a he:

I’ll have raised three chicks (two last year/one this year). All three would be roosters!
We may need to move so we can keep all the chickens. I live IN TOWN! I have neighbors. They tolerate ONE rooster!

I may have to send Buttercup back to the farm (my mom’s) since I obviously favor Licorice. OR
I may build another coop (put in front yard) and get Licorice a lady friend.

Apr 16

5 Comments

It’s time for Licorice to be with the hens and Buttercup (our rooster). The hens seem interested but Buttercup keeps charging/chasing my sweet little chick. I figure there’s something I’m doing wrong to introduce the chick to the rest of the flock (three chickens).

Before today I had Licorice in the coop with the rest of the chickens but she was in the elevated hen house alone. To help everyone get used to each other I put a wall of hardware cloth in the middle of the little hen house so the hens and Buttercup can sleep in the same area as Licorice and get used to each other.

I left the area so everyone can get used to the new setup and when I got back, this is what I found: