Meet the Flock

So you've been following our adventures with chickens, and I realized that more "formal" introductions have not yet been made.  In part because we've/I've been fuggly busy this summer.  In part, because chickens are hard to photograph!   Small, fast, curious, easily spooked...yeah, that combination doesn't make for good pictures.  Little buggers seem to always be moving. 

But the Husband managed to capture a good photo of Red and keep my phone intact! 

Red, an Ameracauna.  Head Honcho. 

Red is our rooster.  So far he seems to be a pretty decent fellow personality wise.  One behavior the Husband has noticed is Red is the first one out of the coop in the morning.  He struts around the run for about five or ten minutes checking things out.  If a hen comes out before he gives the a-okay! signal he will chase her back into the coop.   Nobody is allowed out until he says so! 

The Husband will on occasion feed the flock out of his hand.  He'll have some older raspberries, will put one in his hand, and as the flock gathers Red will make his way to the front.  There is clucking and bucking, Red will take the berry, buck! buck! to the gals and drop it on the ground.  One hen will pick it up and go eat her berry.   Red will repeat this several times.  It's pretty wild to watch. 

Red is one of two birds who doesn't take any guff from the Pryia's.  There is one Bernadette who stands her ground, but the rest of the flock steps aside for the Gang of Three. 

The Chicken Jungle Gym - in run composting system and dust bath.

Up next...whomever I can photograph decently!