Rechristened Poultry

When this picture was taken, I was referring to this as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Rooster. 

Looked pretty masculine to me. 

That comb fairly reeks of testosterone.

     The thing is: awhile back, as Morgana was introduced to

the world on Facebook in this very photo, I was being told

that she's a hen. Even people who are usually pretty

dispassionate about poultry remarked on her beauty. After

all, you're looking at a cross between a Rhode Island Red

and a black banty Cochin rooster. That's a remarkable-

looking chicken, folks.

     Not long after her photo session, however, Morgana

began behaving strangely. We found her atop other hens.

     I was told she was asserting her dominance. I had never

seen a lesbi-hen in our flock, but I accepted this.

    Then Morgana started crowing. At that point, I 

rechristened her Morgan, and everyone decided that, indeed,

this is a rooster.

     Indeed.

     These days, Morgan is excessively intimate with just

about every hen we have. Our old rooster - beloved Mr.

Fluffybutt - tolerates this fairly well, though he sometimes

shoots across the yard like he's been fired from a cannon,

feathers flying in the wind. So far, he seems willing to share

his harem.

     Morgan has started locating pieces of food and cackling 

to summon some chicks of his own. 

Mr. Fluffybutt feigns indifference.

     

     

     You can't even distract him with cracked corn anymore. 

     Morgana-turned-Morgan starts his plaintive crowing

around 3:00 a.m. some days. It is a sad, lonely wail.

Apparently it is only discernible to females, because my

husband sleeps right through it.

     He seems pretty set on being a rooster, which is fine with

me as long as he can integrate into our little flock. He really

 

is gorgeous.

     Sometimes, though, I am reminded of Jeffry Eugenides'

 

Middlesex. Interesting book; Oprah's book club (as well as

members of my own) explored it years ago.

     I hope that Morgan can continue to fit in around here.

He's a pretty bird.

Love from Delta.

.