so, a couple weeks ago the inevitable came true. the poultry farm said our chickens' sex is 90% accurate. so, out of the 100 females the feed store ordered, and the four that were specifically for me, it was possible that a chicken other than a female could be in my flock. and - there is! :(
mother gothel (james' chicken, ironically) is really a cockrel. we found out because of the breed (salmon faverolle) - females always have light feathers and males always have dark feathers. guess what color Mordu's feathers were?
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i'm praying for no more chicken drama!
mother gothel (james' chicken, ironically) is really a cockrel. we found out because of the breed (salmon faverolle) - females always have light feathers and males always have dark feathers. guess what color Mordu's feathers were?
1 week old:
3 weeks old:
4 weeks old:
6 weeks old (today):
first of all, isn't it AMAZING how much they change in so quick a time? when i found out at 4 weeks old, I couldn't sleep - i was devastated. I LOVE Mordu's colors and how he looks after all the chickens and calls for them when they're separated. he is by far the prettiest chicken in my flock (I mean, most handsome). but, we cannot have a rooster. our city allows chickens but definitely not roosters. and, my neighbors are already annoyed that their dogs are barking more and trying to dig under my fence. I called the feedstore to see if they'd take him - no, I e-mailed the poultry farm to see if they could breed him - no, I researched craig's list poutry for sale - no luck.
thankfully - a friend of mine mentioned that he would be driving up to his father's farm (in Iowa) and would be happy to bring mordu up there since his father collects chickens. SERIOUSLY?! an answer to prayer. Mordu is moving to Iowa!
he'll be leaving this weekend for his new home, and i am sad to see him go. it'll be interesting to see how the girls (chickens and humans) will take it. we will miss him, but we're happy to know that he will be LIVING somewhere.
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ODE to MORDU
We thought you were a she,
but you really were a he.
I didn't want it to be true,
because we really wanted to keep you.
But now it's time to leave our flock,
[and we won't miss your cantankerous squawk].
We'll take good care of your misses,
and we know you'll deeply miss us.
So hang on tight and don't take flight,
and be careful not to fight.
We'll miss you "Father" Gothel,
and we hope you live to be an old fossil.
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