This monster sized egg, which mom found in her nest box last week, may have come from Ducky! Do you remember the little chick that was my first semi-successful hatch using the incubator in my office? Her toes were crooked so I used band aids to straighten them and she looked like a duck. An ugly duck! That little ugly duckling chick had some strange behaviors, and didn't understand about being part of a flock right away, but now she is one of mom's best layers. She's still strange, even for a chicken, but maybe she just takes after her mother (me!?).
And who is this handsome rooster with Ducky in the photo above? None other than Curly, my favorite chick from my second slightly more successful hatch. Well, to be honest, we're not sure this is Curly, since there were two roosters from that batch and one was recently killed by an unseen predator. Without the comparison mom can't be absolutely sure this is Curly. But, since Curly had a really funky looking comb, which this rooster has, and he was my favorite, I'm going to assume this is Curly from now on.
Even though Curly is young, and his biological mother (opposed to me, his "hatching" mother) and aunts are in his flock, he's doing a good job of keeping everyone focused on the best foraging areas, not letting anyone stray too far from the flock, and diligently announcing that scary animals (like me!) are in the vicinity. This boy is getting some respect. Of course, it's not like he has much competition since he's the only rooster left. I would be nervous if I were him. Unless he is the unseen predator...
Uh oh, he know's I'm on to him - he's giving me the rooster stink eye!
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