Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Hooter's Attack


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One of the problems with freeranging your yardflock of chickens is roostestosteronicity. This of course is the tendency of roosters to attack without cause or warning.

Flounder and I got a dose of this the other day as he followed me through what's left of my garden. The flock of four banties was scratching around near the grape vines, when Hooter the rooster left the group and headed our way. Uh oh.

We could tell by the gleam in Hooter's eye that we were being targeted.


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Seeing danger afoot, we formed a defensive perimeter. Flounder pressed close and needed a little reassuring pat on the head.


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As expected, Hooter launched a wicked attack coupled with an impressive feather flaring. It's hard to look big and scary when you are a banty rooster, but he gave it a good shot.

He pressed his attack until the shoe gently lifted him into the air. When he landed, he shook his feathers back into place, and wandered off to crow about his victory.

Typical male... Posted by Picasa

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Once again, the title of your post made me hope it was another tale of your misspent youth. Well, I'll just be patient.

Karen Schmautz said...

I don't know how it is Pablo always comes up with those great one-liners...

I hate to say it, but that is one ugly rooster. I think he has "short-rooster's syndrome"...walkin' around with a chip on his shoulder...er, uh...wing.

Rurality said...

I have one like that, only he's not a banty. He's learned not to attack me when Jasmine's around though!

John Cowart said...

Beware the Rooster!

I haven't commented for a while but I really enjoyed your postings on clam farming. I've lived in Florida most of my life and I enjoy learning things about our state that I never knew before.

Deb said...

I always have to carry a big stick when I go by the chicken yard because of Woody, the barred rock rooster. One of these days he'll end up in the slow cooker...

And thank you for adding another colorful word to my vocabulary! :)

threecollie said...

Chicken football, a time honored cure for tempermental roosters here in the north as well. As the alternative is a one way trip to coyote world up on the hill.......

Anonymous said...

Awww, poor Hooter. I think he looks very big and scary... in a cute and fluffy kind of way *snicker*.

I'm glad Flounder was with you - think of the calamity that may have ensued if you'd faced such a battle yourself! Good boy, Flounder.

Anonymous said...

It's not hard to believe in dinosaur ferocity when confronted with a rooster.

One additional word. Geese.

R.Powers said...

Pablo,
Wha...ohhhhh. Well, they did make a pretty successful movie about aggressive tomatoes a while back...it could happen.
;)

Hick,
Pablo seems to think I "misspent" my youth...hmmm, let's change the subject.
Yes, Hooter has a permanent chip on the old wingder.


roger,
when i was new to chickens, i had a full size rir spur me in the temple. wowsers...very painful.


Rurality,
In my situation the dog is counting on me. :)


John,
Thanks, that is a kindly compliment.


Deb,
I'm creating them as fast as I can :)

ThreeCollie,
You just have to show them whose boss don't ya. Chicken football, LOL!

Mrs. S,
Cute and fluffy?? I've put Hooter in a box and he should arrive in two days. :)


Wayne,
If he were Raptor Red, I'd be dead.
Honestly, everytime they flare out those feathers I'm back in Jurassic Park 1 and the fat nerd is facing the poison spitters with the flarey thingies.

Ava said...

My grandparents had a large rooster that flogged us grand kids one too many times. He got the ax!!!

R.Powers said...

Ava,
It seems that alot of us have "rooster memories". The tie that binds :)

Anonymous said...

Ah yes, anh-anh-anaaaah. He deserved what he got.

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

That was so funny!!!
I just had to go get my husband to show him this post.

I went to visit a friend and she said, "don't turn your back to that turkey," and I turned around and said to her, "that big pretty one?" That's all it took...and I sure didn't know they could jump sooo high!

I see that you're carrying your camera with you for those unexpected rooster attacks. *LOL*