So at the time we left for Scotland, as you will recall, we had only recently discovered that we actually had 2 roosters, and only 3 hens. They were all pretty much full grown, but not fully mature. The roosters had only just begun to crow. They all hung out with each other all day in a little group. Henry was a really sweet rooster and would almost let us pet him.
While we were in Scotland, the roosters came of age. When Sarah and Shawn showed up on June 30, Henry charged them. He came up behind and pecked at them a few other times as well.
When we got to the Newark Airport, we had a voice mail from our neighbors, Jack and Sandy Lyda, the ones we got the chickens from in the first place. They said one of our roosters had found his way over there and wasn't leaving. So we called them and said we'd talk to them Monday evening.
When we got home, we learned that Henry had gotten so aggressive he essentially chased Jane James away. Jack was bringing him back over every night and putting him in our coop, but first thing in the morning he would run lickety split back over there. They have several hens, but they really didn't want a rooster, and quickly got rid of the few new chickens they kept that turned out to be roosters.
So, big dilemma. I didn't know what to do, as I really liked both of them. Before we left for Scotland they would come and crow at my window to wake me up. When I went out to the yard they came running, in a happy friendly way.
Now, Henry started coming up behind me and attacking. Okay, Henry, enough was enough. I put an ad on Craig's list and last Saturday morning gave him away to a very nice couple with a big farm and 6 hens. An email from them confirms he is happy and his new hens like him.
Big bad Henry before he went to his new home:
So, back to the James problem. We tried keeping him in the coop Sunday morning, but about 11:00 or so, Victoria was crazy to lay an egg, which she likes to do in the hay bin of the sheep house (yes, at least 2 of them started laying). So Victoria found a hole in the fence and got out, and James was right behind her. He then went running as fast as he could (which is REALLY fast) back over to Lyda's. So Rich has been going over every night and getting him and putting him in the coop, again. In the morning, Rich lets them out of the coop when he leaves, and then I go out and feed them and let them out of their yard when I leave. Monday, James was gone in a flash. Tuesday, he hung around and ate a little and was still here when I left for work. When I got home, he was over in their yard, but I could see him from our sheep yard. I called him and he responded to my voice. I lured him over finally - he jumped through the fence and raced back over here. I was amazed. But then, within probably 3 minutes, he chased down each one of our hens and had his way with them. They were not happy ladies.
Then, he ran back over to his other girl friends.
Tuesday night and Wednesday night we went and got him. Rich brought him in to the house so I could give him a talking to on Wednesday night:
Tonight, we went over to get him, and he was actually outside of their fence, looking like he was on his way back over here! So I called him and Rich followed behind him, and he actually came home and ran into the coop by himself. So we might be making progress!
Except I put an ad on Craig's List earlier in the evening. No responses yet. I guess we'll see what happens.
Meanwhile, Mary (the banty) is laying one perfect little tiny brown egg every day, and Victoria is laying a slightly bigger brown egg about every 2 - 3 days. Elizabeth, the red auracana, has not started laying, or is hiding them. They will be green. I don't think she is laying yet.
Chickens are fascinating. We are having fun with them, even though....
