We got some Velociraptors!

Alright everyone, we got ourselves two new birds. . . Prepare yourselves, because we're truly going to specialize in different breeds now. These really are more dinosaur than chicken. I've been wanting some for a long time, but they're just so rare and expensive. ( Yes, me and rare/expensive chickens. . . )






Anyway, here it is, a pair of Shamos!





Shamos are a type of Oriental Gamefowl. More specifically, they're a breed used for cockfighting. Of course, we won't be doing that, instead, we'll be breeding and raising them in the preservation and love of such unique, beautiful variety of chicken. They're young right now, only 4 months old, but will grow to stand over 30 inches tall, and despite their feirce, hawk-like gaze, they are extremely friendly, loyal, and intelligent. They're a good mothering and very broody breed, but are also extremely aggressive towards other chickens and towards one another if both are males. We have here a young pair, one is a Wheaten pullet and the other a Barred Wheaten stag. (Gamefowl roosters under the age of 1 year are called stags.)





Shamos are a slow growing breed, but once past a year old, they will be HUGE! These two, for now, are pampered in their own personal coop, complete with insulation, heat lamps, natural lights, and their own specially mixed food. When they're completely used to their new environment in a week or two, they will be loose in our yard, practically as lawn ornaments. They're also very good vermin control!



Beyond that, we've come across another bit of news. . .



Our once beautiful black Ameraucana cockerel, Hades:



Now looks like this:



Has he recently gotten a bath in that photo? - No.

What happened? Well, I'm not entirely sure. . . All I know is - I went out to check on the bachelor pad, see what the ruckus was about. . . And found him completely upside down on the ground, gasping for air, and absolutely matted and tattered with mud. His comb was pretty bloody too. My Wheaten and Blue Wheaten Marans were obviously the culprits, being completely soaked and having bloodied combs themselves, but why I do not know. I'm just finding that Ameraucanas are generally better males than Marans.

So, on the verge of tears and worried he was close to death, I rushed him inside, got him a slightly warm shower/bath, dried him off (which he loved the blow drier!) then checked his body for injuries. I treated his comb, and found nothing more. . . But he was hardly standing at all! His balance was terrible, he was still breathing hard, and the most he did was just stand in place, chittering at me every once in a while. He's a talkative fella.

Once I let him back out, a fight broke out again. He was muddy all over again!! So, I'm having some troubles now with most of the boys accepting him for some reason. . . I'm coming to the tough decision of getting rid of all my Wheaten Marans except of course my Blue Wheaten.

In the mean time, sadly, Hades has been hiding away in the boy's sleeping area with the rest of the "rejects." - My perfectly tufted splash Araucana, Canis, and my new Buff Ameraucana, Set - Who's becoming a little more of a man now that he's been given a couple days with the hens.