Kalimani
Chirping
- Apr 15, 2015
- 40
- 5
- 52
Hi All,
My tame guinea hen was a bit mean to a chicken today so I scolded her and put my hand firmly on her back to stop her.
She immediately went down to the ground with her wings stretched right out, her neck craned, head down in the sand and stayed completely still. I had the fright of my life!
When I let go she got up and ruffled her feathers.
Since then I gather that, in chickens at least, this is either (or both) a submissive gesture and she sees me as alpha, or she is becoming ready to lay eggs. She is exactly one year and one day old, and has never laid an egg.
Thing is, what she did looks quite different to what i can find picture and video wise of chickens squatting, which looks like a very quick moment before the chicken gets up again. It might be particular to guineas, no idea.
Anyone have any experience with this?
I'm hoping that if this is submission, I can use it to my advantage to try and control her mean streak with some if the chickens, but I'm not much of a controlling type, lol! Plus I Need to integrate 2 chicks into the (small, 3 chickens, one guinea) flock soonish, and am concerned that she might harm them.
Is it actually possible to control birds, (train/discipline them somehow) or do they just do their own thing on instinct?
My tame guinea hen was a bit mean to a chicken today so I scolded her and put my hand firmly on her back to stop her.
She immediately went down to the ground with her wings stretched right out, her neck craned, head down in the sand and stayed completely still. I had the fright of my life!
When I let go she got up and ruffled her feathers.
Since then I gather that, in chickens at least, this is either (or both) a submissive gesture and she sees me as alpha, or she is becoming ready to lay eggs. She is exactly one year and one day old, and has never laid an egg.
Thing is, what she did looks quite different to what i can find picture and video wise of chickens squatting, which looks like a very quick moment before the chicken gets up again. It might be particular to guineas, no idea.
Anyone have any experience with this?
I'm hoping that if this is submission, I can use it to my advantage to try and control her mean streak with some if the chickens, but I'm not much of a controlling type, lol! Plus I Need to integrate 2 chicks into the (small, 3 chickens, one guinea) flock soonish, and am concerned that she might harm them.
Is it actually possible to control birds, (train/discipline them somehow) or do they just do their own thing on instinct?