Heartbroken

It is with the deepest regret that I must tell you some very bad news. Today, around 1:00pm, my rooster named Tuffy was killed by a coyote. I am heartbroken more than ever before. I loved him so much. Tuffy's father(KiKiRi) was my first rooster. He was very beautiful. He was killed by a coyote two and a half years ago. Tuffy was only about three months old at the time. He had one brother and they were the first baby roosters that hatched of all of my chickens. There had been a batch of hens before that...but, Tuffy and his brother were my first baby roosters. Tuffy became the dominant of the two, and soon after his father was killed, Tuffy became the Sire of the chicken coop. That was two and a half years ago...just like Kiki, Tuffy has been the meanest rooster of the ranch. So many roosters have come and gone in Tuffy's life, but none were able to knock the King off of his throne. Two weeks ago I discovered Tuffy fighting with my number 2 rooster. Tuffy had nearly killed him. I got that cleaned up but about 30 minutes later, a younger rooster attacked Tuffy. He was too exhausted to prepare for it and the younger rooster hurt him. Since that day, Tuffy had been hiding in a small clump of trees every day. Today, he died there. Just a few feet from where his father was killed.
Goodbye, Tuffy. I love you!
(I don't know why the pictures look distorted on the main page...PLEASE click the pictures to see Tuffy in all of his majestic beauty. He deserves it...he was so beautiful.)

Changing Of The Guard

(Note: Please click on the pictures to see them properly...I don't know why but, they look distorted on the blog page. Tuffy deserves to be seen properly. The sunset was an eerie blood red that morning) A sad day in history came to pass a couple of days ago. The rooster named Tuffy has been knocked from his throne and is no longer the King of Rancho Giro. Tuffy has been a super dominant male for nearly three years. That era is now in the past. It is over. Tuffy's crown has been taken from him. He was in a bad fight with the other dominant male(#2) and he won that battle. But, I did not discover them fighting until they were near death. I think it took everything he had left...and since then, Tuffy has been dominated by the much younger roosters and he is too broken to do anything about it. He won't even fight them. He just stays way far away and gives them plenty of room. It is sad to watch. I don't believe any other rooster will wear the crown that Tuffy wore for as long as he did. Here are some pictures from three days ago...the morning that officially stepped down and stopped being aggressive/dominant.

Thank you, Tuffy. We love you...

Jet's 7th Month

  

7 months ago...and 7 months later...

 

 

 

Animated Rooster

It's the old kinetiscope syndrome...
flip through the still photos quickly enough for them to come to life in the illusion of movement. Light may be the only realm...
And that means illumination of the soul...
Now, that's some heavy roosterizing...
(If you can't imagine it...then you can't be it)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weather or not...it's COLD!!!

Will it ever be warm?
The chickens don't like this weather. It is very, very cold. I think it was 30 degrees last night. If this continues, I will have to build a full insulated chicken coop. I don't know how wild animals can survive it. Hopefully, Spring can arrive early...like tomorrow.

Wings of Freedom

Nothing symbolizes Freedom like a pair of flapping wings...
This morning was no exception...

The Toughest Of All

We are already a week into the year 2013...
It is time to acknowledge the King of this Ranch.
His name is Tuffy. His father was KiKiRi...my very first rooster. When Kiki got killed, Tuffy was only a teenager. But, he was already meaner than his brother. It wasn't long before he grew up. He has proven his dominance many times. All challengers are accommodated. Three of them paid the ultimate price. He is still the King and we really appreciate his ability to keep my roosters the best they can be! All hail, the mighty Tuffy!

I guess it's warming up...

Will it be an early Spring?
Well, I love flowers and bees and singing birds...
But, I'd settle for some heat.
This morning might be the first sign of some coming warmth!

 

It is still cold

New year?
No heat!
Brrrrrrrrr...
Hey, Mr. Sunshine...
we're cold!