Oh my gawd, baby jezuz, mary and joseph! My uncle went to the local Haywood County Small Animal Auction and brought me back six new chickens.... 5 big laying hens in beautiful colors and one tiny tiny TINY adorable white americuana chick (which I am holding in the picture above.)
The rooster (whom I have had for over a month now) was oh so proud of all his new ladies, and even though my one hen "Honey Pie" was pecking at them & pulling out their feathers - the rooster still stood tall, proud, protective and horny.
And you can see why! HAwt Ladies!
This is what chicken sex looks like (pictured below)... the rooster chases the hen, holds it by the back of it's feathered neck, opens wings and goes at it pretty quick. Even though the hens resist at first, or maybe just tease, they seem really satisfied after... happy.
BUT..... as amazing and wonderful as this all seems...... there was JuJu Bean, the donkey. The donkey who has been a great guardian animal to my hen and rooster, she has loved them, she knows them. So to say I was shocked when she hauled ass on my new chickens is an understatement, I screamed in horror at the unexpected scene!!!She went after them, not just in a dominating way but with her front hooves pounding at them like she was going to smash them to bits, like she hated them the way a donkey hates a coyote!
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At first I tried yelling "NO" and hit something loud (a bucket onto a tree stump) to startle everyone into reality. That didn't 'work' per-say, but it did slow things down. Then I ran to my house, cut up carrots and used the reward method. I had JuJu walk past the chickens over and over while giving her treats, and if she made a move towards them I touched her chest and said a firm "NO". That seemed to calm things down for a little while.
....but then after JuJu was rolling in her favorite mud spot, she saw the tiny little white wonder who had been following me around, standing between my legs & who I had also been carrying around in my arms. She turned on the tiny bird standing near her and went straight to threatening, stomping, kicking, and running over it. I let out a terrible high pitched scream and ran for the bird. I charged JuJu in an animalistic way, angry/in charge, then left the area with the possibly half dead baby chick. I put it in a basket and brought it in my cabin. It's sitting on my desk next to the computer right now as I write this post! Fingers crossed it'll live!!! Cause I already wuve it. Tons.
Xoxoxo
