ROOSTERMAN

CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS POST:  LESSONS

As chickie grew 

Lucy shrank.

She spent more time feeding her little guy than feeding herself. 

Her face and comb turned grey.

She went into a molt. Everywhere Lucy went she left a trail of feathers. She lost her entire tail.

Sometimes chickie was reluctant to give up his chickiehood.

That was fine with Lucy.

She adored her little man.

(that's my coffee, not theirs)

He became a fancy, handsome, proud little man.

Lucy changed, too -- her feathers grew back, and so did her health.

For a year, Lucy had been living in her little "special-needs" coop. Her feet had been too mangled to get up the ladder in the big coop, and Lil'White had brutally ostracized her.   But she was now the proud mother and ally of Roosterman, and somehow that changed everything.  

One day while everyone was out and about in the yard,  Lucy walked through the open doorway of the big coop, managed to climb that ladder, and laid an egg in the nesting box.   Lucy was back in the flock, back in position number two.   

That night, Lucy fearlessly roosted with Hatsy and Lil'White, and it was a beautiful thing.

Little Roosterman, however, did not fit in so seamlessly.

Hatsy kept him on his toes.

He moved into the big coop with his mom, but was so terrorized by Hatsy that I had to build him a roost all his own, high up where he couldn't get plucked by her.

Little Roosterman also had some trouble learning dog-etiquette.  

Never stare at an angry dog.

That's really just a basic thing,

but Roosterman didn't get it.

He was also a little too virile and enthusiastic about the ladies.

Once again, that little wire cage I made turned out to be just the right thing.  

Everyone adored Roosterman when he was kept at bay.

Now... There was just one problem...

Roosterman  found his voice.

Next post:    CHICKENS AND A TERRIER