The top photo is of Apollo taken by the tractor in the summer of 2008. The second photo I took of Apollo today (2/26/2009) behind the barn. That's Artemis in front of him. The top photo is clearer because I took it with my camera, the other I took with my phone. But you can see how much bigger his tail is.
This will be Apollo's first real tail. Last year he grew 7 eye feathers. I can't begin to count his eye feathers this year. I will get to count them in the fall when he sheds them. Then next year he will grow an even better tail.
I could watch Apollo all day. Apparently I'm the only one, all the "girls" at the barn walk right past him when he's strutting his stuff. Last year I was so excited when his eye feathers showed up. I didn't know he was too young to grow a full tail.
I might try to hatch a few of their eggs this year. Last year they were too young to really make fertile eggs and I never saw them mating. I will only try to hatch the eggs if I see them mating. I hope it is more "romantic" than chicken sex.
Apollo is stunningly beautiful!
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