We are still shaking our heads that of all six baby chicks – two each of three breeds – we lucked out (not!) with two identical roosters!  It’s not that we don’t appreciate them.  They are handsome fellows and, so far, don’t seem mean.  But it’s early days yet…

These two fellows are Golden Campines, an ancient breed originally from the north east area of Belgium called the Campine.  Folks in that region claim that the Campine has been around since the time of the Roman Caesars.  Even so, I think of them as modern fellows – very up to the fashion minute with their colorful plumage and prominent white ear bobs.

I don’t really know what those white spots on either side of their heads are, but I always think of them as earrings.  And, being a child of the 1950s, I am still amazed and not always exactly delighted, when I see men of my own human breed with two earrings.  Somehow, one seems okay, but two… not so much.  And so it is that I think of these Golden Campines as quite modern and fashionable.

They are reputed to be good foragers and are always very busy and curious.  On their third day out in the big world, one of them was suddenly over the fence and into the lane.  That’s a first in all of our backyard-chicken-raising experience.  We don’t know how he got out there – whether he squeezed between the pickets or flew over the top.  Nyel saw him marching toward the bay and went to the rescue.

Fortunately, Mr. Campine was agreeable to being herded back into the garden.  That time.  We have no doubt that it will be a recurring situation so our new resolve is to keep a closer eye out when the girls and boys are free-ranging.   We’ve tried to explain to them that  summer tourists don’t always comply with the leash law and that they would be tempting targets for visiting dogs…

They cock their heads when we talk to them about these serious matters, but I’m not sure they are really listening.  Probably just showing off their ear bobs.