The day they warned me about has finally arrived. Young Fred is seeking a hen (or hens) with which to make a family and his father is having none of it.

Fred is roughly five months old. He is, like most young males, interested in the ladies and looking to start a family. Unfortunately, his daddy Chanticleer is absolutely unwilling to share his hen-wives, with Fred or anyone else.

Therein lies the problem.

Attempts to woo any one of our flock’s five hens have been unsuccessful. Chanticleer is not letting the young “roo” anywhere near his ladies and the ladies adamantly refuse to return Fred’s romantic overtures.

Last week Fred began hiding in and under the henhouse. Whether he is “cowed down” by his father and afraid to venture forth or displaying the emotional impacts of unrequited love, we can’t be certain. 

What we do know is that the whole flock is on edge with the tension, and the resulting fights destroy Madge’s only viable egg and dashed our hopes of raising another chick any time soon. 

We have learned that one strong-willed rooster for a small flock is more than enough. So, Fred and I have decided to run a personal ad in hopes of locating a friendly flock of females in need of a handsome rooster to keep them safe:

“Handsome SWMR seeking hen for marriage. Leghorn/Americana mix. Breed/egg color not important. Must have spacious henhouse or free-ranging situation. Not looking to become dinner. Good protector. Learning to crow. Serious inquiries only.”

Poultry enthusiasts in the tri-county area looking to acquire a handsome rooster with good breeding and great potential may send inquiries to news@greenvilleadvocate.com.