constructing a single chicken family unit for porch

[centrarchid]

COOPERS HAWK ATTACKED BY AMERICAN KESTREL


Today on way home from work I stopped off at Chipotle's to get eats for family. As I pulled in a young male Coopers Hawk made a failed attempt at some bird I could not seed before hawk hit ground. By time I got out of car the hawk had launched itself back into air and by time it got above the roof an Eastern Kingbird began giving it a hard time. For some reason the kingbird flew of as the hawk circled repeatedly as it spiraled up. The hawk was clearly looking for another target of opportunity which appeared to be in a large maple tree. Then out of the blue, literally, a male American Kestrel dived in and began a series of bombing runs forcing the hawk to change direction each time. A couple times contact was realized. The battle continued to spiral upwards as falcon pressed on with attack. I think the falcon had offspring in maple tree and it was very effective at their defense.

 

[scottcaddy]

That would have been something to see!! Maybe you need a pair of those Google glasses that do video?

Scott

 

[centrarchid]

HEN HAS NEST CALL FOR CHICKS VERY SIMILAR TO CALL MADE BY ROOSTER TO POINT OUT POTENTIAL NEST SITE

Tonight I began tightening / predator proofing accommodations for all birds, especially hens with late season chicks. Last of birds to be moved was Sallie; she is still kicking and rearing 3rd brood of season. Since Sallie was moved near dark she had trouble getting her brood to move into the nest box she hatched them in. She repeatedly went into the box and made a call very similar to that made by rooster that pointed it out as being a good nest site to her. The chicks almost entered but all seemed to prefer a more lit location several feet away. She failed to get them in so in the end she moved to approximately the location they seemed to prefer. Normally what she says goes but stress of late move messed things up. The sound made to me means simply "nest". Over winter I will attempt to round up a recorder that can be used to upload call so others can here it in known context. Sounds they make carry way more meaning than I ever thought.

 

[scottcaddy]

HEN HAS NEST CALL FOR CHICKS VERY SIMILAR TO CALL MADE BY ROOSTER TO POINT OUT POTENTIAL NEST SITE

Tonight I began tightening / predator proofing accommodations for all birds, especially hens with late season chicks. Last of birds to be moved was Sallie; she is still kicking and rearing 3rd brood of season. Since Sallie was moved near dark she had trouble getting her brood to move into the nest box she hatched them in. She repeatedly went into the box and made a call very similar to that made by rooster that pointed it out as being a good nest site to her. The chicks almost entered but all seemed to prefer a more lit location several feet away. She failed to get them in so in the end she moved to approximately the location they seemed to prefer. Normally what she says goes but stress of late move messed things up. The sound made to me means simply "nest". Over winter I will attempt to round up a recorder that can be used to upload call so others can here it in known context. Sounds they make carry way more meaning than I ever thought.

I have often wondered if my bad hearing stopped me from understanding why the hens would do something I didn't think the Roo was calling for. Thanks for doing this!

Scott

 

[centrarchid]

BROODY HEN MUGS CHILD FOR APPLE

Trueman (my 22 month-old rugrat) like to hang around in same areas as the chickens. After repeated battles between him and broody hens he has decided the baby chicks are no longer worth chasing. Cars, keys, mower, rooster and the moon are more important now. Trueman is partial to apples and likes to peel them with his teeth before going after the good stuff on the inside. What he does is walks around skinning apple the spits out large wads of skin they chickens go crazy for. Generally Trueman slowly chases rooster as he does it but today things changes when hen wanted more for her chicks. She followed Trueman as he followed rooster and stood up to peck from behind Trueman's back and grabbed with beak. The apple was good and slimey making it easily pulled from Trueman's grip. During this process, even before hen procured the apple she was telling chicks she had eats with a modified tidbitting call so they were right at her side as she made her move. Once apple was on ground hen made "guk-guk" saying mine to Trueman. Trueman shook and pointed at his apple indicating he wanted it back. The hen (Brownie) controlled apple for little more than a couple minutes before Trueman worked up courage to steal it back. Once he got it back he started eating it again. Brownie does not threaten me but does Trueman. She also goes after him when he holds the mealworm container but he is learning to hold on when she tries to pull it down. It is fun watching them all work things out. Trueman can now walk about actually within hens brood as they go about their business without trouble. He also is learning to catch grasshoppers and give them to her so she can give them to her chicks. I taught him that.

 

[scottcaddy]

BROODY HEN MUGS CHILD FOR APPLE

Trueman (my 22 month-old rugrat) like to hang around in same areas as the chickens. After repeated battles between him and broody hens he has decided the baby chicks are no longer worth chasing. Cars, keys, mower, rooster and the moon are more important now. Trueman is partial to apples and likes to peel them with his teeth before going after the good stuff on the inside. What he does is walks around skinning apple the spits out large wads of skin they chickens go crazy for. Generally Trueman slowly chases rooster as he does it but today things changes when hen wanted more for her chicks. She followed Trueman as he followed rooster and stood up to peck from behind Trueman's back and grabbed with beak. The apple was good and slimey making it easily pulled from Trueman's grip. During this process, even before hen procured the apple she was telling chicks she had eats with a modified tidbitting call so they were right at her side as she made her move. Once apple was on ground hen made "guk-guk" saying mine to Trueman. Trueman shook and pointed at his apple indicating he wanted it back. The hen (Brownie) controlled apple for little more than a couple minutes before Trueman worked up courage to steal it back. Once he got it back he started eating it again. Brownie does not threaten me but does Trueman. She also goes after him when he holds the mealworm container but he is learning to hold on when she tries to pull it down. It is fun watching them all work things out. Trueman can now walk about actually within hens brood as they go about their business without trouble. He also is learning to catch grasshoppers and give them to her so she can give them to her chicks. I taught him that.

Your little Flock Master in Training, AKA Trueman, is learning stuff he will not even know that or how he knows the stuff, just that he knows this stuff about chickens! I was raised around large livestock (dairy cows). I am comfy walking/working barefoot around our horses. If a person knows critters from a young age, they can see things happen that a city person would not have a clue was even starting. Your Tureman is comming along real well!

Scott

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: I am loving the stories as well. After 48 years, I too am comfortable with less than bullet proof shoes around horses. and believe the more dirt a kid eats as they are growing up the healthier they are later on.

deb

 

[centrarchid]

CROWING HENS

I have seen a few videos on youtube,com of hens crowing very much like a rooster. The crowing I have here is not the same but may be widespread among hens brooding chicks. My brooding hens like to keep others, especially other brooding hens at a distance. Coming close together often results in fights that put chicks at risk. Additionally a hen foraging with chicks literally decimates forage insects which are very important to the growing chicks. The hens appear to have a mechanism that promotes spacing, reduces frequency of physical altercation and in general keeps them in vocal and sometimes visual contact with other chickens. The hens are effectively crowing although the call is simpler and not as loud as that produced by rooster. The hens also flap their wings which is a combination of sound and visual signals. My American Gamehens do it while marching about with chicks and after coming of eggs late in incubation cycle. My American Dominiques do it when marching with chicks, especially when stressed by another broody in the immediate vicinity. Roosters do not seem to promote the "crowing" nor do roosters appear to respond to it. Brownie, my front porch game hen, seems to do it less when I am close by which is similar to her mother a couple years back.

 

[centrarchid]

POTENTIAL DISASTER

Trueman is trying to put 5-gallon bucket over Brownie. She would suffocate pretty fast. Buckets have been put up.

 

[centrarchid]

HEN FLIES DOWN GRASSHOPPERS TO FEED CHICKS

One of the hens (Sallie) I have been watching for nearly four years has been doing her duties in cockyard and currently has a brood of 6 chicks that are about 10 days old. They spend most of their time picking up insects in the short grass. Occasionally they jump a flying grasshopper and Sallie literally flies after it when it goes into high weeds. She grabs it and calls chicks which then run to her in the weeds to eat it. Such effort does not seem energetically worthwhile. She does not treat all grasshoppers this way and I have not figured out what type she seems so keen on capturing.