Another chicken tale

I didn’t get the incubator set up so I bought a bunch of hens this year. At least that is what I thought I bought. I also thought I knew exactly what breeds of chickens I bought. There has been a revelation on both counts. 

First, the breeds. The first bunch of hens I bought were Sapphire gems, a crossbred of Barred Rock and Blue Rock. They grow up to be beautiful blue-grey colored hens that are quiet and friendly. I also got some Plymouth Barred Rocks at that time. Barred Rocks are one of my favorite breeds. They are quiet, gentle birds that like to talk and are also great layers. They grow up to look like a hound’s-tooth jacket. Then a week later I picked up some Black Stars, another cross breed hen that are excellent layers. They are a little more pecky and not as friendly as the others but they can sure shell out the eggs. They are bred from Rhode Island Reds and Barred Rocks. Color wise they are black with some brown streaking on their necks and breasts. I also bought two ISA Browns that will feather up a nice light red color. 

The problem comes that I have one that is not fitting into any of the colors that the breeds I bought should be. It is brown with dark lacing on its feathers. Way browner than the Stars should be. So I got a surprise chicken. That is okay, it will be fun so see what she grows up to be. 

But that isn’t the only surprise I have. 

I bought all hens… and early one when one of them kept jumping to the top of the waterer when it was still tiny, a friend told me, “It’s a rooster. Roos always are the first to jump on the waterer.”

I assured her that I had purchased all pullets and it couldn’t be a rooster. Silly me. 

I was watching them the other day and one of the barred rocks caught my eye. Its comb was way bigger than the other hens, it is way bigger than all of the other chickens, it has wattles, a fleshy flap beneath the ears, and its tail is getting long and starting to arch. “Whoa,” I thought to myself, “that is a rooster.”

So two surprises, both of which are not a problem, in fact the rooster is very welcome. I was kicking myself for not buying a rooster anyway. My other two roosters are much too big and old and heavy for the pullets. 

So now I have a rooster, some color in the flock and a bunch of interesting personalities in that coop. And a friend that is laughing her head off because she was right.

 Coconut Strawberries 

2 cups strawberries

1 cup diced pineapple

1 cup sugar

½ cup shredded coconut

Wash, hull, and slice berries in half. Mix in pineapple and sugar. Chill. Garnish with coconut when serving.