Let’s Hear It For the Boys

This is Beau (Beauregard). Isn’t he a beautiful fella! Beau is one of our two Brahma roosters. He tends to be a bit of a loner. Sometimes Bessie deigns to hang out with him. The heart throb of the Brahma flock is Bram.

I’m not sure what the criteria are. When it comes to sharing treats … Bram looks out for number one – himself! When it comes to sharing treats – it is Beau who does the Woot! Woot! call to give what he has found to Bessie.

To no avail. Where you find Bram … you find the rest of the flock.

When it comes to the drakes … it is a toss up. Seems these two fellas are best buddies – for now …

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I cannot for the life of me find a way to tell them apart … yet. I’ve also tried out various names for them. Currently they are ‘Bill’ and ‘Bob’. When I was in high school there were two very handsome guys – twin brothers – Bill and Bob Wilson. That seems to be sticking.

Generally Misty is in charge in the duck run. SHE decides who gets to hang with Bill and Bob. So far she has made it clear THEY are HERS. Tiny is allowed to hang around – just as long as she doesn’t get flirty.

I’ve learned that head bobbing and dancing … both are duck hen ways of flirting. So is splashing and quacking and swimming in circles.

The junior roosters (Charlie and Norman) have joined the flock. They do a great job of staying out of Paddy’s way. And he lets them be. They have settled into the big coop (aka ‘The Palace’) – in their own wing. They sleep soundly perched by the window. No longer crowded into the screen – actually perched and sleeping comfortably. They are relieved I finally came to my senses and put them in with the rest of the Orpingtons.

Tomorrow I pick up a couple more duck hens to equalize the balance of drakes to hens. And … perhaps even one of them will be Penny’s new best buddy. She has blended well with the group – but is definitely the low duck in their pecking order.

So here we are – first week in October – definitely still in the honeymoon period for all of the ‘boys’ in the paddock. I have the electric poultry fencing ready to divide the woods if I need to keep the ducks and the Brahmas apart for their spring flings. I will have enough hens in all groups to allow each rooster/drake to have his own little flock. The newbies even have their own ‘apartment’ in the Palace to keep them safe. I wonder what I’ll be thinking come April and May …? Wish us luck!