There lives a small Buff Japanese bantam rooster on The Fat Ewe Farm. He was the low rooster in the pecking order and slept outside with the late hatch of Jersey Giant cross chicks. Those chicks are hardy, amazingly so. Only when they were too large to fit under the chicken coop did they reluctantly go inside to sleep. By then we had seen many nights of severely frigid weather. The rooster's combs had not grown very large, or their wattles, the hanging down things on the sides of their chins, or they would have frozen them. As it is the Salmon Faverolle rooster had completely frozen feet from sleeping on the floor inside the coop. That breed has feathered feet and for some reason he attracted snow on his feet, which turned to ice and his feet froze. He had to be put down, because with both feet frozen, he could no longer walk.
But Captain Morgan, now that is another story. First of all he is tiny, but a strong willed survivor. One of his feet was completely frozen. I put him in with the Flemish Giant rabbit and gave him a girlfriend, who has since disappeared completely, not a feather left. At one point, I put him in the barn, but there is no sunshine there so I felt sorry for him and put him in a large pen. His foot fell off and he was able to hobble around on the ground, feed and water himself and still fly, but he could not land anywhere except the ground. His days of roosting are long gone.
Then today, he was gone too. I could not find a trace of him, not a tail feather, nothing. The ravens hang around the birds to eat the eggs as they are laid. Since he is so small, he would be fair game. I was sorry to see him go. Then I went to see Sarah the goat, who had gotten herself in trouble again and Captain Morgan called to me. He was under a large spruce tree in the yard near the goat, a little mangled, likely from the puppies I would think, but not injured. I went to get him and he allowed himself to be picked up without a squawk. I put him in with the rabbit again, but he has no girlfriend now. I will have to find a bantam hen for him for company.
What a strong will to live he has. He must have been half frozen more than once. His right foot is missing all the way to the ankle joint and several toes on his left foot may fall off. His comb is half of its normal size from being frozen and still he continues on. Because of his spirit and his peg leg, he sports the name Captain Morgan. I am routing for him. What a lesson for all of us from this little tiny sailor. We should all be so forward thinking and not give up when the chips are really down. Thanks little buddy. May you go on.
But Captain Morgan, now that is another story. First of all he is tiny, but a strong willed survivor. One of his feet was completely frozen. I put him in with the Flemish Giant rabbit and gave him a girlfriend, who has since disappeared completely, not a feather left. At one point, I put him in the barn, but there is no sunshine there so I felt sorry for him and put him in a large pen. His foot fell off and he was able to hobble around on the ground, feed and water himself and still fly, but he could not land anywhere except the ground. His days of roosting are long gone.
Then today, he was gone too. I could not find a trace of him, not a tail feather, nothing. The ravens hang around the birds to eat the eggs as they are laid. Since he is so small, he would be fair game. I was sorry to see him go. Then I went to see Sarah the goat, who had gotten herself in trouble again and Captain Morgan called to me. He was under a large spruce tree in the yard near the goat, a little mangled, likely from the puppies I would think, but not injured. I went to get him and he allowed himself to be picked up without a squawk. I put him in with the rabbit again, but he has no girlfriend now. I will have to find a bantam hen for him for company.
What a strong will to live he has. He must have been half frozen more than once. His right foot is missing all the way to the ankle joint and several toes on his left foot may fall off. His comb is half of its normal size from being frozen and still he continues on. Because of his spirit and his peg leg, he sports the name Captain Morgan. I am routing for him. What a lesson for all of us from this little tiny sailor. We should all be so forward thinking and not give up when the chips are really down. Thanks little buddy. May you go on.
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