Farewell To The Old Rooster!

I wish I were saying goodbye to an old friend here, but I'm really glad old Greg is gone! He was over 5 years old and a mean ornery cuss this last year. I got to where I just didn't want the fight and started sending in anyone handy to fetch the eggs other than me. Quite ridiculous to say the least. I really don't like any stress in my life and this guy was handing it out on a silver platter. The best thing I can say about him is that he sure was a pretty boy and gave us lots of fertile eggs. I don't think a couple of the brooding hens will ever gain feathers on their backs again. I'm quite certain there has been some chicken gossip going on out there about the whole ordeal. I really love our Ameraucana chickens and they are very sweet and usually very gentle.It's been kind of strange being able to go back into the coop to work again without feeling like I need to watch my back and have a weapon handy. But the timing worked out well because the new chicks are now old enough to free range for several hours every day and all I have to do is leave the door open for them.

This is one of my new baby roosters that I'm keeping from this springs run. He thinks I'm his mama and follows me everywhere in the garden. I've had a lot of cool name suggestions from garden friends and I think I'm going to go with Handsome. I think it fits him and he seems to like it too. The grasshoppers are really out now because of the drought. Most of the crops are done so it's a fine time to let them have at some nutritious bugs. The bugs should always be the biggest part of their diet anyway and it will help in trying to get the old stuff out of the garden and shredded into the compost piles. All the food crops beds will have to be weeded and worked over with some new compost added. I'm getting the plan layed out for fall plantings. It will be time to get more green beans planted. I can't seem to get my tomato cuttings to take hold without the added benefit of rain. Hopefully peas and broccoli can go in soon too. It really depends on the weather a bit. There is no point putting it in when I can't water deep enough to sustain them. Normally that wouldn't be a problem, but since we are having one of the worse droughts in Texas history it really is a serious problem now. I'm so thankful for the harvesting that we have gotten so far, although it has been minimal. If it were not for the thick rich composted soil in the beds we wouldn't have had anything at all.

 

Here is a picture of my other baby rooster who is the white with the speckles. I think you call that color splash, but I'm not sure and your welcome to correct me. I'm still learning about their different colors. His companion in this picture is one of the baby hens. Hopefully she will be a good egg layer. Our last flock were all actually the Araucana's, which all have the blue egg trait. Which means they were all laying a whole lot of blue eggs. The Ameraucanas are closely related and seem to run in more different colors. I'll have to take more pictures for you to see them. But both breeds share the same traits with ear muffs, beards and a brushy tail.

So here we are saying farewell to an old rooster and to our spring and summer garden. Let's all be praying for some rain and a blessed harvest for fall in Southeast Texas. I pray all my garden friends have a very blessed harvest this year! I know many of you have been struggling with so much flooding and severe weather as well!.

Happy Gardening!!
Pammy