The wife has named him Phillipe. I don't know why. I voted for spike or butch or something cool. Alas, it snowed pretty good yesterday and no bird. Again today, no bird. It appears perhaps that he is a fair weather fowl. Gosh, I hope nothing ate him! That would be pretty bad if something ate my attack chicken. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img]
Word of warning. In Kentucky it's illegal to have wild animals as pets without a license, and even though it's just hanging out the authorities may consider it a pet. You may want to give them a call.
Doesn't seem like it would be any different from a deer coming to a feeder or your garden. Or for that matter birds and feeders. Just a thought. He is not being confined or penned.
Bird showed back up yesterday. Dive bombed my truck at the end of the drive and then chased me down the road. Back when the bombing in Afghanistan began, there was a picture circling of a rear view mirror with a jet fighter in it. It sorta reminded me of that picture. Looked in the side mirror and there was the bird, flying along beside the truck, right down the center line. Good thing nothing was coming. [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]
This afternoon I came in and there was the bird lying in the middle of the parking area barely moving and just kinda pecking at the ground. [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] I felt so sorry for him I went and got some bread in violation of the no feeding order. Came back out and the dang bird ran away. [img]/forums/images/icons/mad.gif[/img] The bum foot seems much better.
This evening I walked to the end of the drive to put up a 911 sign. Half way down, the bird came out of the tall grass and started walking along beside me, like one of those little lap dogs. Then he decided to cross back and forth in front of me. Did pretty good and only slipped on the ice once or twice. (It never dawned on me that birds can slip and fall down.) Got to the end of the drive and I'll be darned if he didn't sit down right in the middle of it and start squawking. Absolutely refused to move, or to let me go any further. Stayed right there while I went off to the side and pounded in the sign. Then followed me half way back to the house.
Michigan regulates hunting of the birds, but a lot of the farmers around raise and release them. The DNR has no problem with it, since apparently they are and are not native. I figure this was somebody's raised bird that maybe got too much attention and wound up really liking people. I've talked to some of the people raising them and they've said the roosters can get pretty odd.
<font color="blue"> This afternoon I came in and there was the bird lying in the middle of the parking area</font color>
Sounds like you might have interrupted his nap. I wonder if he was a tame bird if he is dependant on humans for food. In that case and I'm sure you've already thought about what about a feeder? I pretty sure you have been adopted like it or not. [img]/forums/images/icons/smirk.gif[/img]
Mike
Yeah, it kinda looks like a feeder is necessary. Although I didn't see the bird again today. I think now that his foot is feeling better he is ranging a little further and only getting back when he feels too lazy to hunt his own food. This time of year I believe he should be eating acorns in the woods and not running through this field, but I may be wrong.
Wow thats really cool I have never had something like that happen to me. ( A bird show right up on your yard and follow you around eat out of your hand and Chase cars [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] ) Thats neat.! and strange...well Say hello for me! [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]