Tribute Page to the Best Rooster
'Trouble" Maker
I'm writing this page as a tribute story to the best rooster i have ever owned- Trouble.
Our journey with chickens started in Spring of 2016 with Silkies (a large type of bantam) later moving onto other larger breeds and bantams in April of 2017, when we bought this beautiful boy and his future mate, Sweet Pea.
In late August 2018 we entered him, another rooster we had (Rumpy) and a Silkie hen (Nutter Butter) into the Great New York State Fair poultry show in the hopes of taking home a ribbon. Though we didn't end up staying as long as we had hoped due to some personal issues back at home but we still had a great time nonetheless! Shortly after returning home we had discovered his mate Sweet Pea was on a nest she had hidden away and that within that nest was eggs and they were partially starting to hatch! Six healthy babies successfully hatched out! We ended up keeping one of the babies naming her Sweets.
By Winter of 2019 we lost our home and had to move all of our birds between two seperate properties while we figured out where we were going to live. Trouble and his girls ended up staying at a friends farm but within a month I had went to visit and noticed they looked a bit..sluggish. They were coughing, sneezing and their combs were very pale and droopy. That day I decided it was best to load them into my car and take them home where they would get the care they needed. I had them treated (after doing a ton of reading) for Coccidiosis, an Upper Respiratory Infection, Worms and Mites.
For several months they lived between a large dog crate and free range of my room (i know that sounds gross but I was just happy they were home safe with me). After a couple months of that the girls were showing some improvement and were well enough to go outside into a small coop I had bought. Trouble was a whole different story.. he didn't improve at the slightest for several months after the girls were already outside. Slowly he gained his strength back. Most nights I would have him sleep right next to me in bed after I thought I was going to lose him one night. Most of the time he wouldn't eat unless he was hand fed. As for water he was syringe fed, essentially. By late Spring he had perked back up. By this time he was getting limited but supervised time outside. I was worried the Spring heat may affect his breathing so I didn't keep him out for very long.
By very late Spring early Summer I had him coming to me hen called, if you'll believe that! By this time he was ready to be moved out to the coop with his girls where he showed he was well enough to try his luck at breeding, which I later learned was a success after I foolishly forgot to collect eggs for several days in a row only to come out to several eggs developing between two very broody and very determined hens. This wasn't Sweet Peas first time hatching out chicks, in fact it was her second. This was in fact Sweet's first though. It was mid-late July at this time. After 21 days of patiently waiting on their end, 6 healthy babies hatched without incident! All of which were co-parented by the two hens and of course Trouble who took motherhood very seriously.
By November of 2019 we had rehomed most of the flock and brought home the few I was able (my favorites, if you will, some of which we still have to this day). November 1st is the day we lost our special boy. We died protecting all his ladies. He was the bravest, sweetest, most courageous rooster we have ever owner. I couldn't have asked for a better boy to look after our hens in their time of need. Ever heard the saying 'heart horse'? Well this was my heart chicken. RIP Buddy
