We got a rooster....

Well, low and behold one of the 6 Orpington chicks we purchased back in October has identified himself as a rooster.  The young fella tries desperately to crow and I don't want to laugh at him, but almost find myself busting out with a few chuckles because his crow is so raspy and well, just plain funny.  It is almost like a boy in junior high whose voice is in the middle of changing.  :-0 

 He sure is beautiful...I love the blue colored birds.

Funny thing is that there is a another Blue Orpington that is much larger than this one and also has a comb about the size of this guy.  I thought for sure the other one was a rooster and he still may be one, but maybe he's in on the scoop that the sooner he crows and the labels himself a male, the sooner he ends up in "Abbott Freezer Camp" or for sale.  Maybe he witnessed Paul butchering the last batch of roosters when he was a tyke and therefore has had nightmares ever since....well, I guess we will see if it decides to ever drop an egg out.  lol

Our Orpingtons are about 15 weeks old right now.  We just let them out to free range with the rest of the group for the first time this week and then we locked them in the hen house with the rest for the night.  Pixie has been vigilant on letting them know that they have to stay in the outside section of the coop.  At least she let's them eat and drink!

What I found interesting was that when we put the Orpington's in with the rest, Perry, our alpha rooster, barely blinked an eye at them.  I figured that he would help put them in their rightful place in the pecking order.  Low and behold, instead it was one of our young (17 week old) Black Copper Marans roosters that we have in the hen house that was chasing them around inside the coop and pecking at them.  He even grabbed some of their feathers at times and would yank.  Such brutality!  So, it must be the one just above the newbies that put them in their place.  We have been keeping a close eye on them and each day they get along better.  The Orpingtons have learned to huddle real close together for safety's sake, I believe.  lol.  The best part is that they are already bigger than some of the hens and our two young Black Copper Marans roosters!  I guess size isn't everything.

This young Orpington rooster has also stopped crowing.  I haven't heard a peep out of him since he ended up in the hen house.  We'll see how long that lasts...

Speaking of which...I haven't ever heard the two young Black Copper Marans roosters attempt to crow either.  They are definitely old enough.  The only reason we know that they are roosters is because of their coloring.  It would be wonderful to have a couple "quiet" roosters for once.  I bet our neighbors would love it too!