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| Over-packaged |
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Hark! Do you hear that cockadoodledo? No? Heh, heh. Neither do I. Seriously, poor Fritzie had problems. Before the Zombie Rooster had so brutally attacked him, he was just a fun-loving, sort of goofy guy. I believe that Big Red (ZR) brutalized him so viciously, that he inflicted neurological damage. Fritzie would not use the roost, preferring to huddle in a corner - long after the brute was gone. He was hysterical at any noise or movement. He was self-maiming - pulling out his feathers. He was a sex maniac, leaving many hens with bald spots. The final straw was the occurrence of small seizures. Those of you with chickens know how they are when they sense weakness. Last Friday, during one of the non-raining spells, I went out to the chicken yard and witnessed a more severe seizure, with the hens forming a circle around him. I don't think it was to cheer him on. I marched back into the house, got my pellet rifle, and ended his suffering. Luckily for me, he'd apparently used up all of his zombie powers during the seizure, so I was not chased through the yard by his living dead self. Such a shame. I think we will take a rooster break. I have not had good luck with them for some years and we are all heaving a collective sigh of relief.
33 comments:
There are times when I'm positive the "save-our-environment-do-not-over-package" memo is not getting through to many companies. Sigh. When it takes three tools from the garage tool bench, twenty minutes and one band-aid to stop the flow of blood from your cut thumb to extract the nonrecycle-able material around a small digital clock, something is wrong.
Happy to say (sorry 'bout your situation), we haven't had much rooster trouble since getting rid of Mr. Meanie last year, but they can be a problem. Our main reason for keeping a couple (you know, an heir and a spare) is that we really want to hatch out our own chicks and then let Mama Hen raise them rather than purchasing new chicks from the hatchery and having the fuss and mess of raising them ourselves in the garage. (Oh, so stinky!) Don't blame you for taking a rooster break though. I understand.
I think putting poor Fritzie out of his misery was a blessing. Yes, best to make it a rooster-free zone.
That is what I had in mind, too, but I didn't think the gene pool was deep enough when it came to Fritz. We are in a time out - if a handsome, mild-mannered guy comes along, then fine. Heck, if a handsome, mild-mannered guy of any species comes along, then fine!
Yes, the last thing I wanted was for the girls to sense weakness and go in for the kill. Chickens are surprisingly vicious at times!
Your BGPs stood you in good stead; I'd be such a wuss about dispatching anything.
Since we don't eat chickens I don't need to raise replacements; I am therefore blissfully rooster-free. Our current ten hens have been the healthiest, most problem free girls we've had; none are spring chickens and they are still laying great. When natural attrition happens, I will find more pullets – or sometimes they find me. ;-)
Oh dear...hearing about your rooster tales makes me think twice of wanting roosters Susan! Good thing you're taking a break. I would love to have a rooster (you know, when we settle down) and chickens.
We just buy leaf tea now. You are right there is so much waste in the packaging!
All that unnecessary, extra packaging on thing we buy is one of my biggest pet peeves. Individually wrapped tea bags are at the top of that list. This year I'm trying to collect more herbs for our own teas.
Chickens are ruthless creatures. Better a quick death for Fritzie than being pecked to death.
well, that was some drama. did the girls stand by and watch as you did the dirty deed? i drink scottish tea but only in the morning.
Bummer on the tea! Sorry about you poor. Rooster, just one of those sad things.
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Sounds like a safe plan. When I was younger we always just had one rooster,so wasn't a problem. Maybe it's best to start off with just one rooster?? That's a hard one to sort out. You did what you had to do. On the other subject, there is to much waste in the world. Know matter what the subject is!! XO
Add "with a lot of expendable income" to the last mentioned handsome, mild-mannered guy mentioned. (Might as well be particular.) ;o)
Every Christmas when my girls are opening up their presents, I about choke on my anger over all the packaging materials. Everyday occurrences like your tea get my goat too but not nearly as bad.
Oh dear, sorry to hear about the rooster. We had one good one so far, and I'm hoping I have another from these new chicks this year. I'm with you on the recycling and stuff. Too much plastic in this world.
It was a great relief to get rid of my two roosters. Yes, chickens can be particularly brutal. Why does each tea bag need to be wrapped separately? Silly. -Jenn
another blog friend has chickens and the last hatching was mostly roosters. oh those poor hens. one day the extra roosters became dinner for a neighbor. and yeah, how dare they invoke the buddha with all that packaging.
Packaging is an extra curse for weak old fingers like mine. I am forced to find more and more ingenious ways to gouge my way in.
Extra packaging? Why it is to keep you safe. To keep things fresh. To make sure nothing evil ever befalls you.
Remember the old saying. That knock on your door in the dark of night. “It is the government and we are here to help you.”
We now live in a society that a large percentage of folks feels they are entitled to someone somewhere keeping them safe.
My response to that is “put on your big girl panties and take responsibility for yourself.”
End of rant.
I know nothing about chickens, but I can't abide animals who terrorize and maim other animals. We have too much of that world wide in our own species and I can't do a thing about it. But 'under my roof' - that is where I draw the line. The first rooster was the cause of course, and sad as well. But the other chickens can now live in peace.
I'm crossing my fingers that my flock stays in the happy place it is now. Surprising because there are THREE roosters co-existing peacefully out there. Proof of their good works are hatching as I type.
I can only do it without overthinking it. Or thinking about it at all. I don't want any more chickens at this point and I certainly wouldn't have wanted that particular gene pool!
I have had some very lovely boys, but just not in the last few years. So many times they start out nice and then the hormones hit.
Leigh, I have been drying and storing nettles for tea - it's one of my favorites. I also have mint and lemon balm.
Yes, it's not always easy to have this lifestyle, but it's certainly worth it in the long run.
I usually have just one, but these two came as a package. I do miss the crowing, but not enough to put us through this ordeal again.
Wouldn't you think that they'd wise up and smell the coffee? I think the only way we will get any kind of sensible packaging (as in MUCH less) is to not buy things that are overpackaged. Problem there is not knowing ahead of time just how the product is packaged. We need a system in place.
Too much drama! I have no idea. It's to make it more 'special'? To justify the high price of the 'special' tea? I wish they'd cut it out.
It's always better if they go into a pot, as opposed to being placed on my 'predator path', but no one I know was in the market.
Isn't that the truth? There are some things that I have to attack with tools, in order to open.
Oh, don't get me started. There is nothing more frustrating (to me) than a government that has assigned itself the role of my protector. Especially the bunch of idiots that are in the government now. Between the government and insurance companies, we are now all safe from making any decisions on our own or being responsible for anything.
I'm with you. I try to make sure that they have everything they need in order to live an easy, peaceful life. But even my best laid plans go awry with chickens.
Oooh! Chicks! I definitely will go home-grown when I want to increase my flock again, but I am going to be very careful with the genetics. No more nut jobs!
Just like teenagers....
Fortunately I only get to witness chickens second hand, a very close second hand I might add. No roosters at the moment but I actually think they might need one as they are snarky bunch of gals.
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