Apparently a big, old, white rooster.
Yesterday was a day of opening up gates and doors.
Since the little chickens were shifted into their tin house a number of weeks ago this big white rooster has been their guardian. But you know how roosters are.
Releasing little hens when there are roosters about is always unsettling for me. So I was surprised and pleased to see him still being the same gentle giant, keeping the newly released tweens close to their doorway as they investigated their new surroundings, standing still and quiet with his head down as they pecked at the green around him.
He is playing the part of the gentle Daddy rooster. There will be some fights too if other roosters come near.
Valerie and I finished weed eating one of the electric fences around the big pig pasture (that was a vege garden last year) and let Poppy’s Six out too.
They will graze under their canopy of sunflowers for a few months and have the best summer I think.
Today should be slightly cooler and maybe there will be a little rain so I will not bring the cows up to the barn. I think the calves will be fine in the fields from now on. Those hot days were brutal on the little calf who had the heat stress. While all the cows and her cousin were in the shade she would be lying panting in the hot sun. This meant bringing the whole herd up in the hottest hours so I could keep the damaged baby cooler. But with these clouds she can put in another weeks growth without stress.
OK – time to stop chatting, finish my coffee and do my one hours housework before we start work.
I hope it rains today. The earth is so warm a little rain will release a heaving of growth in the fields.
Have a lovely day.
celi
Tuesday 90% Precip. / 0.45 in
Thunderstorms likely. High 88F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Tuesday Night 80% Precip. / 0.3 in
Thunderstorms likely. Low 69F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
The Kitchen's Garden 
33 responses to “WHO’s YOUR DADDY”
Love that young pullet and her ‘daddy’ having a discussion under the beady eye of Tugboat Tima.
Poor old Tima. I just cannot get that weight off her. She is such a pig!
Why yes, yes she is.
Lovely images today.
I hope for rain today too. Definitely not what they got up north, but some moisture never the less.
God yes/ fingers crossed for some nice rain this afternoon. But then I am not cutting the hay because of the chance for rain so it will probably just motor over the farm.
The lush green of the pig pastures is amazing!!! I often forget, while planting here in the Ozarks Mountains in the necessary raised beds where real soil is at a premium that must be bought (and still amended because it isn’t fertile) or made through the composting, that there is actually real soil that makes up the ground in other places on the planet! 🙂
I will lend you a little cow- they make wonderful compost for gardens . Though I guess you have no fields to feed a little cow
Big white rooster is staking his claim to the best girls in town…..good for him
He looks lovely but I bet he has a spiteful peck
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Your comment which is a bit unsettling
what sweet chook pictures today. Our skies are clear and blue and the sun is shining, but air is nippy and the wind is cold. I hate winter but your summer temperatures have been super high. Welcome to Valerie. Laura
I love seeing the piggies come plying through the tall plants, up over their heads. Like adventurers.
Ha ha – I can’t help thinking the roosters building a harem, but I suppose that’s what he’d do if they were wild birds.
Yes. He is I think- and it is working / the girls love him
Sounds like he’s a keeper: )
So much more to chicken farming than I ever thought. I follow another small farmer who had to butcher two roosters because they were too rough and mean to the hens. He adopted an older white rooster and is very pleased with him. He calls him Gentle Sir. I wondered if it was competition that made the previous roosters so aggressive, but it sounds like your fellow is just gentler by nature, despite being with other roosters.
Hmm – that is interesting – maybe it is the breed.
I love your blog. I’ve been reading it every morning since I found it and I just love it!! I show the pictures to my five children and they think its the best thing in the world. Thank you.
Oh you are so welcome- and I especially love that the children are looking at the pictures! That is just wonderful .
what a nice Daddy!
daddy
indeed.
Yes I was wondering about the little calf who was so heat stressed.
My reading tells me that she will always be a little behind now. It seems that kind of stress that young affects their development .
We are in Ohio on a family visit and the heat has been brutal here too. It finally broke last night with a massive thunder storm. I do hope the little calf (Lucy?) recovers OK.
I hear the little frogs peeping outside after the short rain shower that we just had.
Still waiting on our showers – but I live the sound of those little frogs – hope they start up here soon!
A cooler front came in last night after the torrential rains. The storm was crazy, so heavy at times the backyard looked like a fast moving river. Today is a gorgeous temperature and sunny.
We have a big white rooster too, gentle with his harem… and likes to keep company when the opportunity arises with the other village free rangers… will eat out of my hand but is fierce & protective when it counts.