The Roosters are Fighting

The roosters are fighting and Black Ayam is crowing for the first time. They came here together, he and Whiting True Blue, the flock leader. Black Ayam was thrown in for free having been caught out in the cold loosing toes and part of his comb. He was worthless to a breeder of rare birds.

I didn't want two roosters. I have experienced the contest for leadership before and it is raw, bloody, and to the death. Not always, of course. I've had four roosters that each submitted to the head cock, and in exchange for peace in the flock they were allowed a few hens of their own.

Looking down on the reject I could see that this guy was almost as beautiful as my chosen Whiting True Blue. His feathers were glossy black with undulating waves of quicksilver reflecting his florescent glory through beems of sunlight. He was quiet, very calm, about three feet from my boots, and stood feeding with his back to me.

I watched him ever so gently eating bugs that only he could see on the blades of grass just short of the truck behind which I stood waiting for the breeder to bring out the rare and endangered Deleware pullet. Looking closer I could see that his comb was black, thinking it was from frostbite, wondering if it was painful for him to walk with missing toes, thinking him an outcast in his own home. My thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the breeder, Deleware in hand. Eyeing Ayam and observing my slight bend towards him, she said, "Go ahead, pick him up. Seems like he wants to go with you."

Ayam submitted to Blue gracefully and found a few girls of his own. He always accepted his position by taking off immediately upon Blue's warning, and yet was often back to try his luck, especially under the bird feeder. He never crowed, not once since he's been here. Today he is crowing up a storm.

I will take Blue's carcass out to the new family of foxes at the edge of the woods in a bit, as soon as he stiffens up.

Thank you, Whiting True Blue for being here with us. Your presence has blessed us in many ways, not the least of which was the beauty and magnificence you added to this farmstead.