Sgt Major

Sergeant Major came to us as a rescue several years ago, right after county fair.  A friend of Charlie's Dad had had a flock abandoned in a rental; he called because he knew the kids were raising chickens, and thought Wyatt Clay would take good care of them.  Charlie and Wyatt, still exhasted from fair, spent three evenings gathering birds.  Sergeant Magor had earned his name for his flashy looks and protective attitude before he ever made it home.  He and his flock of hens and babies came home to a quarantine pen, where they lived until after the monsoon season, when they began to have privileges out in the property during the day.

Sergeant Major has a large number of hens, who generally adore him because of his mellow nature and protector attitude.  He is known for spending a whole feeding time flapping his wings to stop two hens from fighting.  He helped to raise Muffy, the Ameraucauna roo, who has learned to be a gentleman as well, with both roos stepping back during treat times to let the hens have first choice, intervening only to stop other birds trying to sneak in.  He has raised many babies, and when young roos try to be dominant with hens, they take flight and line up behind Sergeant Major for protection.

Undeniably, Sergeant Major has great stock around here as all good guys do.  But we don't even know how old he was when he came to live here, as he already had good sized spurs and has never really moulted here.  So he is not a young guy.  I guess it should come as no surprise that his balance isn't what it used to be, but last night he fell out of a tree- twice.  Worried for him, Wyatt brought him inside where he relaxed on his lap for some time, then Wyatt settled him into a large crate on the back porch in the hopes he would relax for the night.

As soon as first light came, though, he was fussing at the crate, so Wyatt sat him on the back porch with his own food and water and his ladies clucking at him.  He eventually got up and got wandering around.  He doesn't seem quite himself, but not ill either.  He really does seem much better just meandering with his adoring hens, so who are we to complain?