We have been quite surprised that out of the 30 pullets we purchased as future laying hens, none of them have turned out to be roosters. Everyone told us to hold off getting a rooster because two or three of the "pullets" would wind up being cockerels, but that has not been the case. Either that, or we have a cockerel that has failed to display any rooster-type qualities yet.
We were really hoping to have at least one rooster so that we could hatch our own eggs at some point. So, when we noticed a handsome young rooster listed for sale on Craigslist, we decided to snatch him up. The person selling Charlie (I decided to name him "Charlie" the moment I saw him) had only had him for three weeks but said that he was a year old. He also said that Charlie was a barnyard rooster (meaning he has a little bit of everything), but we think it looks like he does have some Brown Red Ameraucana in him. Either way, he is definitely a good-looking bird. It is hard to see in the pictures, but his tail feathers have a beautiful, iridescent blue-green sheen when the light hits them.
We were really hoping to have at least one rooster so that we could hatch our own eggs at some point. So, when we noticed a handsome young rooster listed for sale on Craigslist, we decided to snatch him up. The person selling Charlie (I decided to name him "Charlie" the moment I saw him) had only had him for three weeks but said that he was a year old. He also said that Charlie was a barnyard rooster (meaning he has a little bit of everything), but we think it looks like he does have some Brown Red Ameraucana in him. Either way, he is definitely a good-looking bird. It is hard to see in the pictures, but his tail feathers have a beautiful, iridescent blue-green sheen when the light hits them.
We have been nervous about how bothersome the inevitable early-morning crowing would be, but honestly we cannot hear him at all from inside the house, and (hopefully) neither can the neighbors. On the contrary, we have actually enjoyed listening to the distant crowing while we are outside working. It really adds to the ambiance and it feels like we are out at a farm. Fingers are crossed that his crowing will continue to be a non-issue.
Currently Charlie is being housed in Baxter's dog cage. I took out the bottom of the cage and bungee-strapped it to the top to act like a roof. He will be in quarantine for four weeks until we can be sure that he is completely healthy and won't infect our otherwise happy and healthy flock of pullets. He can see the pullets from his cage alongside the garage, though, and as soon as I let them out of their coop in the morning he really starts crowing away. I am hoping to get the pullets used to him very gradually so that it will be a smooth transition for him to join the flock later on.
Currently Charlie is being housed in Baxter's dog cage. I took out the bottom of the cage and bungee-strapped it to the top to act like a roof. He will be in quarantine for four weeks until we can be sure that he is completely healthy and won't infect our otherwise happy and healthy flock of pullets. He can see the pullets from his cage alongside the garage, though, and as soon as I let them out of their coop in the morning he really starts crowing away. I am hoping to get the pullets used to him very gradually so that it will be a smooth transition for him to join the flock later on.
In the meantime, our older group of pullets are just over 18 weeks old, so we really hope to find our first egg in the next month or so. We can't wait!
- Diana
- Diana