Sunday, July 29, 2012

My rooster is a dud

None of my chicken eggs hatched that the Traveling Chicken was tending so patiently. Every day, two or three times a day, I walked up behind the house and squatted down where Miss Traveler had her nest. I wore a flat spot on the ground from being out there so much. Sometimes I'd get home from work just a little bit early, and she'd be back up against the house with the other girls hunting spiders and other random bugs, or taking a dirt nap. I'd get to see the eggs without having to gently lift her backside. I waited and waited. The eggs never hatched. All 14 were duds. Twenty one days came and went. Then twenty three. My neighbor talked to the man we hers and my chickens from and he said give it to twenty eight days. On day thirty I gave up. I picked up one of the eggs and gently shook it. I could feel something shifting about. My curiosity got the better of me and I tapped the shell with a stick and cracked it open. All that was in there was yolk. It looked like scrambled eggs after you mix them up and before you put them in the pan. Sure enough I shook all the other eggs and they all felt the same. Something sloshing about inside. I pitched them all. The whole thing made me sad. I wanted to hear the little peeping noises as the chicks started to hatch. The momma chicken making her, "I'm talking to my eggs," noises. See the little buggers emerge from under all momma's feathers in the morning. Watch her teach them how to scratch, hunt, and peck out in the yard. Dammit, I wanted to raise some chickens. I feel cheated. I have to get a new rooster. I knew Hitler Rooster was retarded, but I really like him. He does the weird Nazi soldier march when he walks. His head tilts off to the side a lot. He lays down in front of the pan to eat his scratch. I know I saw him get up on the hens a few times, but he promptly fell off. I hoped he was doing his thing, but I guess not. He's a very nice roo for being a little weird. He doesn't harass the hens. He doesn't pull out all their feathers being too amorous. He's not mean to people even if he does have almost four inch long spurs. He lets you walk right up to him. I hope I can find a nice roo that won't be a bully to Hitler or the hens. I do want to get a fun colored roo. All my hens and Hitler are black. 




1 comment:

  1. she's a broodt hen...it will work it's self out..just let them keep at it

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