28 years ago today, Elvis Presley left us.

But I can assure you ~ the Elvis ~ of Jacobs Farm is alive and well along with his 24 girls and his two personal assistants, Checkers and Roo.

Elvis is a Single Comb Brown Leghorn and is considered an heirloom breed of the heavy breeds of domestic chickens (yes, there are wild ones somewhere in the Amazon...).  He is quite the majestic and handsome rooster and by all means, he is the King of our hen house.....

His first personal assistant is Checkers, a Dominiquer ~ another heirloom breed.

Our Checkers is just recovering from a near mishap between himself and our one year old black Lab, Sir Bubba Rascal.  You might notice his feathers look a bit misplaced ~ Rascal took complete leave of his senses and decided he needed to practice retrieving with non-other than our beloved Checkers.  Fortunately, we were all outside and were able to intervene before the worst happened.

Then there is Roo.  He is no one's assistant and has managed to fall to bottom of the pecking order, literally.  Even the hens peck at him.  Roo is also a single comb brown leghorn, but he is much skinnier and has wild eyes~!  Roo is always on the make for his opportunity to spur someone..............mainly ME!  In fact, Roo and I went round and round just yesterday - he had me backed into the back of the chicken house and I finally had to knock him across the yard with the rake!  He is hard headed and stubborn and just needs to spur the daylights out of someone.   I have even thrown pots at him and he just shakes it off and keeps on going - like the Energizer bunny...............Hey! do they need a new mascot?  I have scars where he once surprised attacked me ~ but I've learned.  At some point, we may be having some Roo Stew!

Here are a few more snaps of Elvis and his girls having some watermelon this afternoon.  {So far, we have not been compelled to introduce jelly donuts.}  Even our farm dog, Bandit, loves watermelon!

So when you hear someone joking around saying, "Elvis has left the building...."  You can be assured that there is more truth to that little saying than you may think, because not only has he "left the building", Elvis found the Dirt Road and is alive and well at Jacobs Farm!

HKJ

South of the Gnat Line

Copyright © 2005

All Rights Reserved

Learn More About Chickens and Heirloom Breeds at:

• Murray McMurray Hatchery

and also at:

• Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities