Hermaphrodite Chicken & loving my Kale
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Nothing like the sound of rooster crowing as the sun comes up...that is, if you have just a few and one of them is not a rather confused...hen?! Yep. The red splotched Deleware is not only a genetic freak in it's color but is also a whole lot confused. "Hermy" started out as a hen but before she could lay any eggs, she started taking on the look of a He. Hermy was bigger in size like the other roosters but did not start growing rooster neck/hackle feathers until after the others. Hermy does not have a rooster tail, as you can see below. Nope. A hen feathered tail with the other half all rooster. As for the crow? Well it is truly pathetic. A different tone and the only way I can think to describe is to say it sounds as though someone is trying to choke her as it tries churn out a crow along with the beautiful tone of the others.
Why is it I always seem to end up with the funky animals? The change happens when an ovary is damaged - causing testosterone levels to soar and turn the ovary into a testicle.It's very, very rare - about a one in 10,000 event which seems to be I am always the "1" in so many things.
Ya gotta laugh though. As Hermy tries so hard to mate with the girls, it is far obvious it is just not happening. But Hermy has now taken on stalking me. I can see it watching everywhere I go. it peers out at me through the pen yard fence as I clean up the garden. It does the wing dance when I go in to tend to their needs. It even jumps me if I turn my back on it! I make Frog go in with a stick, watching my back so I can get things done without fearing the 3 roosters circling me. It's as if they think its a game. Hermy always begins it then the other 2 join in. so now Hermy has got to go! Either to someone who will be amused by this funky chicken or to feed the family some awesome Chicken & dumplings.
I must share I harvested my first crop of Kale. I grew red Russian kale this year and along with only a few other things, it blossomed well under my unintentional neglect.
I will add, if you have not tried this variety you should put it on the list of must haves. My children are not fans of "leafy greens" but they asked for seconds on this stuff. I added a huge amount to a pot of Fagioli & they gobbled it down. Next is to try it in some chicken, wild rice with Kale soup & possibly transition them into trying it fried with a little onion. Such a different sweet green flavor.
I found the Cherry Gal store while searching out a source of this seed in organic NON mutated supply. A great price at $1.25 per packet & discovered the store has more then just heirloom seeds. From body to kitchen and even antique household items. A pure delight perusing. They do not advertise, so word of mouth is how they get around. I gladly share being they will be the source for more seed in my home this winter.
Potato Fest this weekend and of course it's wet & mucky. Grabbing the muck boots & getting my Perogi fix on! In my next posting I will share the very rare & elusive item I have been searching for in the thrift stores for MANY years. I finally found one and it only set me back $2.50 {U.S}! But don't tell my sister in law how cheap it was. I got it for her and am still on the hunt for 3 more. Although I do feel after searching high & low for this long, avoiding the $20 or more price tag with ebay, I deserve the steal of a deal.
Until next time,
Sweet dreams,
~Tammie
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