constructing a single chicken family unit for porch

[centrarchid]

No, she is from a small town of less than 400. She was not raised around poultry or livestock of any sort but does have a lot of gardening experience that I keep getting in way of.

 

[scottcaddy]

No, she is from a small town of less than 400. She was not raised around poultry or livestock of any sort but does have a lot of gardening experience that I keep getting in way of.

From what I have seen, Poultery LIKE gardens a LOT!!

Scott

 

[centrarchid]

CALL ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH QUALITY FEEDING SITE

The insect population, especially grasshoppers, has largely been depleted by the front porch flock. Remaining insect fare is dominated by leafhoppers and small moths with only the occasional drifting larger grasshopper. To spice things up I led Brownie and her brood to a field virgin to this years foraging by chickens. Large grasshoppers are very abundant causing an immediate increase in hunting. Everyone began making what sounded like tidbit calls but nobody went to check on anyone else's catch. Call was louder and deeper than the typical contact call but appeared to serve same purpose keeping group together as they foraged through grass they could not see each other or their mother through.

 

[centrarchid]

CALL ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH QUALITY FEEDING SITE

The insect population, especially grasshoppers, has largely been depleted by the front porch flock. Remaining insect fare is dominated by leafhoppers and small moths with only the occasional drifting larger grasshopper. To spice things up I led Brownie and her brood to a field virgin to this years foraging by chickens. Large grasshoppers are very abundant causing an immediate increase in hunting. Everyone began making what sounded like tidbit calls but nobody went to check on anyone else's catch. Call was louder and deeper than the typical contact call but appeared to serve same purpose keeping group together as they foraged through grass they could not see each other or their mother through.

PROCESS ABOVE WAS REPEATED GIVING SIMILAR RESULTS


I am much more confident the calls described above are contact calls that keep group not only together but also promote proper spacing to catch something like grasshoppers. Birds are spaced out just about right so that a grasshopper jumping will land in close proximity to another chick. This makes so birds are hunting in a collaborative manner.





THREE FLOCKS OF JUVENILES COULD BE SEEN FROM FRONT PORCH AS THEY PREPARED FOR ROOST


Members of three discrete flocks were flying up and done from roost at same time. Either they communicate between flocks or they are responding uniformly to a common stimulus.

 

[scottcaddy]

Quote:
I am thinking that they are on different roosts?

Scott

 

[centrarchid]

Yes. They form a triangle with distances a little over 100 feet between. Observation was made from well over 300 feet away making so they where all effectively in same line of sight.

 

[centrarchid]

BROWNIE MOVED HER CHICKS TO ELEVATED ROOST

Her six chicks are now about four weeks old so timing is about right. Their heads are being rapidly covered by feathers so will be soon able to thermoregulate even at low temperature and resist rain much better on their own. Brownie will soon quite clucking but luckily for chicks she is unlikely to attempt another brood so she is likely to continue investing in them for several weeks longer. Her continued investment may be important this year because her offspring are very vulnerable to the Coopers Hawks migrating through. She may also merge her activities with Ralph who may also provide a level of protection even though the chicks are not his own.

 

[centrarchid]

SECOND NIGHT ON ROOST AND NO LONGER UNDER MOMMA'S SKIRT


Using camera in nightshot mode I photographed Brownie with her chicks roosting about 24" above ground on a plastic shelf. About half are already roosting without being in contact with her which not a problem when nights are so hot like currently. Mosquitos are horrendous likely pulling a significant amount of blood each night. Brownie is still clucking.






Older brood with Ralph is starting to leave his care which is about right because they are in the 10- to 12-week-old range. ralph did not go through usual bonding process with Brownies process so will be interesting to see if he invests in them once Sallie stops clucking. He has not shown aggression towards them but weakness will likely come from Brownie's brood not being imprinted on Ralph. Ralph's brood is still roosting with him.

 

[scottcaddy]

Getting interesting now is it?
Thanks
Scott

 

[centrarchid]

COOPERS HAWKS HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM


Lately migrant Coopers Hawks have been coming through targeting song birds resting in fence to north of front porch. They have also been making runs at Brownie's brood and apparently disrupted it once but Brownie, the dogs, and possibly Ralph have been stopping hawks short. I have seen three attacks in as many days and assume the many more have occurred than I have seen. Hawks have all been juvenile and if like in past years they will only get small juveniles not attended by adults. Front porch flock should again be good this year.

Brownie and her chicks coming back from gorging on grasshoppers across the road.