I've never actually tried this since Granny didn't like it when we hassled her chickens, so I don't know if it's true. But after I get my own birds on Sunday (!!!
!!!) I'm going to try it. My rationale is that as long as I'm feeding the birds, I get to run an experiment or three.
Supposedly if you cover a chicken's head or shove its head under its wing it instantly falls asleep.
I'd believe the bird relaxes, but I don't know about sleep. Smaller birds, when terrified, stick their heads (and hopefully their bodies) into small holes so as to get away from whatever they think is trying to eat them. Then they relax completely to wait out the siege. All this makes for a good way to carry a canary, but has anyone ever tried this on a struggling chicken?
Squeaky
whose pullets, 3 RIR and 1 EE, will hopefully be coming home Sunday
Supposedly if you cover a chicken's head or shove its head under its wing it instantly falls asleep.
I'd believe the bird relaxes, but I don't know about sleep. Smaller birds, when terrified, stick their heads (and hopefully their bodies) into small holes so as to get away from whatever they think is trying to eat them. Then they relax completely to wait out the siege. All this makes for a good way to carry a canary, but has anyone ever tried this on a struggling chicken?
Squeaky
whose pullets, 3 RIR and 1 EE, will hopefully be coming home Sunday