The Rooster Adventure Continues - The Hens Arrive

Today the two roosters decided that the sheep were not much of a threat and they pretty much went everywhere inside the various paddocks they wanted and all around the barn. I don't know if it is some intelligence on their part or just blind luck but they seem to be limiting themselves to the fenced in areas where they are pretty much protected from any land born predators.

They appear to be pretty happy and crow loudly all the time but honestly I doubt that is something that will ever bother me as the place is big enough that I can't hear em when I am inside anyway. The only issues they had all day that I could see was that the sheep will move them out of the way whenever over ripe Peaches are tossed into one of the paddocks.

The sheep won't share Peaches it seems.

We have so many Peaches that we have literally run out of things to do with them. We have been peeling and freezing, cooking and canning, eating Peaches until we are sick and we still have about three five gallon bucketfulls left. Whenever we find an over ripe one or a bad one we break em open, pick out the pit and toss em to the critters.

So it's been a week and a half and the boys (as the Small-Hold Womenfolk call them) have actually settled in much better than I ever expected and managed to not only survive but thrive. It is time for the first installment of their reward I guess.

Unfortunately I can't seem to find a suitable source for the number of hens we need to occupy two roosters. Especially since Mrs. PP is demanding at least two Easter Egg Hens be in the group. So we are going to be introducing a couple of different batches together without the benefit of quarantine facilities nor much in the way of separate areas while they get to know each other. Not sure how this is going to work but it's either that or only start off with five hens and having the roosters bother em and fight each other.

Honestly I am not experienced enough to say which scenario would be worse at this point. Offing one of the "Boys" wouldn't go over well with the Ladies either although I have thought about it.

So the first five hens arrived this evening. We should have three more arriving tomorrow so I am hoping everything will still be new enough that the pecking order ceremony won't become too violent.

This first group of five contains the two Easter Egg hens Mrs. PP wanted, two Red Sex-link hens and some little White hen with black spots I have no clue what it is.

These hens were remarkably calm I must say. They casually walked out of the crate and began eating and looking around and were not too upset about me being in there with them. It was almost dusk when they got here so they didn't waste much time looking around but quickly went into a dark corner and climbed on top of each other in a big feathery ball and went to sleep.

At some point after getting up in their normal roosting spot the "Boys" heard the new hens and began to crow loudly and look in the direction of the hen's coop but they never did leave the roost to go check em out. My bet is they will head over there first thing in the morning though.

Long after nightfall a huge storm front moved in and actually broke the "Boys" old roosting tree in half in the front yard. SO I guess it's a good thing they moved into the barn. The power has went off more than a few times and we have gotten significant rain once again. I went to check and the hens are all still huddled together in the corner although not as tightly now. All dry and accounted for.

A new chapter is beginning in the rooster adventure. I guess I will have to call it the chicken adventure now.

Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!!!