Star gazing chicken

[Chantal]

Thanks OH, I've had several "man thing" comments about his comb already, and I don't care how big his fan club is so long as he is a well bird. I'm not sure he thinks of himself as a bird though, he's becoming very humanised living in the house. He's sitting on my foot doing his ablutions at the moment. If I can get him into the run I think it'll have to be interspersed with his trips to the plot; we'll miss him so much and he loves racing around bug collecting.

[seedling]

Ok i`ll own up I am quite besotted with Rocky. Strange - I never would have thought I could like a chicken so much. Always was one to fall for the underdog though. Chantal however is his biggest fan and he is one spoilt chicken . If he goes back into the hen house I`ll miss him but it will be great too so see that he has recovered fully. Early on I really thought he was going to die and fretted for a few days. Dont tell Chantal that bit though
Seedling

[Chantal]

I think I've cracked the photo thing,except it's a bit big; sorry guys.

Right. This is Rocky, or as Rocky was a couple of weeks ago; I'll take some more photos this weekend. Now you can see what he's been doing does anyone have a clue what's going on? He's much better now but still sleeps like this at night.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Chantal, i can now see why it's been so distressing for you. I would say it is definitely trauma related. But lets hope Rocky keeps progressing, as he has the last couple of weeks.

Kind regards Old Herbaceous.

Theres no fool like an old fool.

[Chantal]

Rocky is now improving so fast I can't keep up with him He's invading the house and keeps trying to roost on my armchair in the evening; I have a heck of a job getting to use his own bed as he follows me around the place and I'm sure he'd rather be in the bedroom than the back porch. Another couple of weeks and he'll be going back in with the girls, I hope, but I'll miss tripping over him all the time. Don't worry Seedling, he'll still be visiting his fan club at the lottie.

[oldherbaceous]

Chantal, i bet you have had the same problem with all your men.

Kind regards Old Herbaceous.

Theres many a fine cock come out of a tattered bag.

[Chantal]

Yeah, I can dream...

Isn't he beautiful though?

[Primrose]

Am new to this site Chantal, but have been absolutely fascinated by your story of Rocky. Is he really so domesticated that he's happy poodling around your house, and can a hen/cock adapt to indoor living part of the time?

I've just posted a query about keeping a solitary hen as a pet and wonder how you cope with the poo problem indoors. (I can just see my husband's reaction now seeing a hen pooping on our cream lounge carpet !)

[Chantal]

Don't do it Primrose. I have laminate floors which can take a fair amound of chicken poo but honestly, he's a feathered s**t machine when he's indoors. He sleeps in the back porch which only has a curtain into the kitchen and puts himself to bed each night. However, every morning he comes into the kitchen and I'm falling over him for a couple of hours before I go to work. He is very cute and loves being under my feet, but I can't say it's easy; especially as he's always on the hunt for food. Rosie cat goes really huffy when he steals her food and I keep finding punctured apples (they're in crates) which have clear beak marks in them. He'll steal anything within reach and can jump onto the furniture if he can't reach things. Luckily he never stays in the house if I leave the room as it's the company he wants. In the evening he'll try and perch on anything available so I keep having to gather him up and put him to bed.

Hopefully within the next 2 weeks he'll be going back into the run with Selsey who loves him and is the same size. Anna, the one who beat him up initially, is being rehomed into a mixed flock. I'll be sorry to see her go, not least because she's a very expensive Nankin. However, he sits outside the run looking woeful and she's still trying to get at him through the wire. I admire her guts as he's now three times the size of her. He just stares her out.

Anyway, I'll miss him dreadfully but it's the best thing for him, especially as he started crowing this week although mercifully NOT in the house. Yet.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Chantal, i know i'm going off the subject again, as i always do, but have you ever thought about writing childrens stories, i reckon you would be really good at it.
And i am being serious for a change.
So glad Rocky has come on in leaps and bounds, you really have got a fine Cockerel.

Kind regards Old Herbaceous.

Theres no fool like an old fool.

[Chantal]

Astonishingly enough it's not the first time someone has suggested that but I don't think I'd have the imagination for it. Also, I don't like children

Rocky is very beautiful and such a great personality. I like it best when I walk off down the garden and he chases after me with his little legs almost revolving as he tries to keep up. Go near him outside and he's off, totally unlike his indoor self when he's all mumsy but I'm assured this is typical pre teen behaviour.

[Primrose]

Chantal - Meet the newest recruit to Rocky's fan club. Such a lovely tale, and yes, even if you don't like children, you should definitely start writing some animal stories (if even you can find the time between work and tending your allotment and your pets.
I've come to the conclusion that keeping a solitary hen as a pet would not be a good idea. But Rocky sounds such a lovely personality that I suspect I'd be missing a lot.

[Chantal]

Hi Primrose

All chickens have great personalities and are so very different from each other. I used to have a pair of jungle fowl which we had great fun with. When I have a little more time I'll start a new thread and tell you about them. Look out for the Tales of Alex and Sweetie.

This morning I opened the door to let Rocky out and he ran down the garden, crowed three times then raced back to the house to join me in the kitchen. He also doesn't so much cluck as honk his way round the kitchen; I've never heard anything quite like it. Could he have a goose as a distant relative?

[Chantal]

Rocky has moved back into the chicken run and is happily co-habiting with Selsey, the Buff Sussex who brought him up for the first four weeks of his life. He was an imported egg so she's not his biological mother. His arch enemy, Anna the bantam has moved to pastures new, so everything is peaceful.

They are spending the days running around the garden with access to the chicken run and shed and as of last night, are sleeping there too.

He is now so tame that I only have to call his name for him to come racing up the garden to me. Selsey is fast learning the same trick and I must say they're far more responsive than calling to Rosie cat!

I'll post of photo of them both when Selsey has a few more feathers; she's in serious moult at the moment and looking very shabby.