Tale of Two Roosters Fighting — And Then There Was One

Among my flock of French Marans chickens was a pair of blue Polish, Stash and Stara. Stash was devoted to Stara, often waiting outside the nest while she laid an egg. Stash stayed out of the way of the bigger Marans rooster, and I never saw the two roosters fighting.

One day Stara disappeared, never to be seen again. I didn’t know quite what to do with one Polish rooster, but he seemed to get alone okay with the Marans so that’s where he stayed. After Stara disappeared Stash spent most of his time alone. Stash was scrawny and timid, especially in relation to the hefty Marans rooster Frenchy.

This morning when I went out to do chores the two roosters were fighting, going at each other with a vengeance. By the time I got inside chicken the yard the they had finished their fight.

Both roosters stood, dazed, for a moment, and then Frenchy walked away and Stash started crowing.

I looked in disbelief at the usually timid Stash. Then turned to see what Frenchy was doing. At first I thought he was nailing one of the hens, but no. Frenchy was in the throes of gasping his last breath. Thinking maybe he had a crushed air sac, I tried to revive him, but to no avail.

Had I arrived a few minutes later, I would not have known what had happened to the now lifeless Frenchy. On the other hand, if I had gotten there a few minutes sooner, I might have been able to stop the two roosters fighting, and Frenchy might still be with us.

As it is, the usually faint-hearted Stash became Rooster in Charge of the French Marans harem. And he’s still bragging about it.