This week, in dealing with our chickens, we found that “Callie” is really “Calvin”!
Our family has only been in the chick biz for just short of a year. The learning process takes time! We haven’t owned almost 4 dozen chickens before so in fact, the more you own, the more you learn and figure out while doing! And doing we are, with 94 feet scratching and running around! We’re scratching our heads trying to figure it all out! Whew!
In our “Westside run”, we have 3 breeds, Ameraucana, Rhode Island Red and Sexlinks. This past week, one of the Ameraucana’s was aggravating the other hens to no end. It was just beyond us why this particular animals would taunt, jump, nudge, pull feathers and the like. We just decided it was a matter of being a sort of bully or “rule of the roost”, so to speak!
As Daniel, my son-in-law was leaving yesterday, he just commented, “Maybe you should look up what the Ameraucana rooster looks like”. “Maybe Callie’s not a hen”, he said. I sort of shook it off but then I decided to look it up and to my complete surprise saw similar photographs and conversations online about Ameraucana’s who don’t crow but are indeed roosters and who don’t have large waddles yet they have sweeping, beautiful tails.
Our Callie is a Calvin. Daniel was right! In Ameraucana breeds, the roster’s cone is small and wavy and they may or may not crow. At this time, our Calvin does not crow but he certainly is of rooster leadership quality! He rules his run and those hens who are in that area.
Things are not always what they seem and yet they are exactly what they were created to be. I just love the fact that while I didn’t know the characteristics of an Ameraucana rooster, God did and He created him that way! I did not know to look for the small wide cone, longer heckles and sweeping, tall tail of an Ameraucana rooster but after seeing the obvious differences and of learning of God’s creation, I know now.
It made me think about how God has plans for our lives. He’s created each of of us different. We have different features, personalities, backgrounds, ethnic attributes and all to work together to make us who we are.
Hey, that’s why Calvin’s been ruling the roost even though we were calling her a Callie! Ha!
Josie
