Nature's Way ...

I was reminded today, how, in some ways, our world of ttwd mimics the ways of the animal kingdom. I think I've mentioned in one or two previous posts that Frank has a flock of chickens ... ~22, a mix of various breeds plus a turkey hen and a rooster. 

Our roo, JD (James Dean) is the HoH. He is a handsome, gentlemanly, purebred Brahma, who takes care of his ladies. He's first out in the morning and watches all go by until he finds his lady of the day :>)). He will often give his hen of choice a little dance before mounting. He calls out when there is danger (i.e. someone in our yard) - not a loud, obnoxious crow ... but loud enough to be heard and let it be known he means business. He breaks up hen fights and keeps all his ladies safe from harm. Not all roosters are like that ... some are &%#holes ...as in rude, loud and rough with the ladies - we've sent a couple of those along to the soup pot (but not our pot - Frank has a soft heart). 

This morning I was making breakfast for myself and the littlest little (it was daycare day). Frank was in the kitchen with me. We both heard the hens making a bit of a racket and out loud wondered who was carrying on about what. A few minutes later I'd had enough and went to the back door to check on them. I arrived just in time to see a bald eagle launch him/herself over the chicken yard fence and fly away .... I hollered "EAGLE!!!" and Frank hit the door running ... but it was too late. Our big brave boy died protecting his ladies ... not a hen was harmed - most had found their way into the covered pen and another 4 or 5 were huddled in a corner under a tree but he was in a heap in the middle of the pen, feathers all around. 

We have a Momma Hen sitting a half a dozen eggs right now - due in a couple of weeks. We are hoping we get another strong, gentlemanly, HoH type rooster from one of those eggs. 

We are also awaiting the arrival of special pen netting that is touted to be raptor proof ... those eagles never forget where they got a meal (and yes, this is an actual picture I took of one of our beautiful, but deadly, neighbours).