Cock of the Walk

This is the young rooster that has managed to peacefully coexist on our farm.

Last fall we wound up with such an overabundance of roosters that our #1 rooster, PrettyBoy, was quite busy kicking tail feathers all across the farm. In the interest of keeping the peace, we placed just over a dozen of the younger roosters in protective custody and began fattening them up for our table with grain.

This left PrettyBoy and Lawrence (our guinea cock) free-ranging with the hens. When we semi-corralled some hens--enclosing them safely out of canine reach behind a low fence ove which they might migrate with ease--we also placed one of the young roosters with that flock. Although he may have survived at first thanks to that fence, these days none of the hens stay in the enclosure for any length of time and the red rooster roams about with some of the younger hens.

Rarely does he antagonize the kingpin. For that kindness, he appears to be left alone to wander and peck in peace. Although we've seen farms with several roosters free-ranging peacefully, I suspect that each flock has its designated rooster for each hen--reducing rivalry among the ranks.

We're glad that this handsome young'un roams about our farm. He's gentle n the eyes and a treat to behold.