Rosecomb Bantam Rooster in the Sweet Potato Vine

Raising bantam chickens in central Austin, Texas has altered my perceptions of cultivating one’s own food. Caring for these birds, collecting their eggs, and simply observing them pecking around the yard has been therapeutic. Here is an oil pastel of my favorite rooster. He was friendly and would hop up on my lap for a treat. He was also a fierce protector of the hens and his many offspring.