What did your chickens do today?

[cluckcluckluke]

Today, my rooster which has just started doing rooster things decided he would jump on some girls....right in front of me.lol.
He is trying to show me how good he is.

This morning he also did his first morning crow.

So what did your chickens do today?

 

[iamjohn]

I did a couple things to work on his attitude. The first thing was I separated him from the rest of the birds so he lost his position in the flock. I denied him access to them, didn't let him see them or interact with them. I started at 3 days and put him back but he soon find his way back to his original position and attitude. I took him out for a week and put him back in and by that time he'd lost all his rank in the flock and had to try to assert himself again, he failed and he's fallen to the bottom of the pack now. I also taught him his name during that time by repeating it to him over and over. I would say his name in a very stern voice and used that to correct him when he would go after a hen. During this same time I also started holding him and not letting him go until I was ready to let him go, made him submissive to me. Now I can walk in and pick him up and he won't try to peck at me and rarely resists, he doesn't put up much fight with the other roos and he is much easier on the hens.

I try to avoid physically aggressive corrections because it just reinforces their belief that aggression works. I focus on trying to knock them down in the pecking order and making certain they understand I am the boss. There are many other little things I do to show them I am boss like mimicking their behavior and never backing down from them. Now I can say "No" or "uh uh" to the roos and they will stop whatever they are doing and watch me. It may sound touchy feely but I can walk back into the middle of all the roos with shorts again and no roo will peck at me and my hens are not getting hurt like they had been.

It can be a long process, several weeks, but my roos are getting used to the way things are now and there is peace returning to the coop.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

I spilled a little bit of feed today while I was refilling the feeder, and it attracted a junco. The chickens didn't like that at all! Two of the hens flared out their wings and chased it away, clucking.

A Junco

. WHat is that!!?!?! LOL.

 

[julierupert]

My chicken are pets for my children. I looked in the backyard and my 5 year old was going down the slide with the rooster! Poor thing. They are safely foraging in the grass while the kids moved on to a lemonade stand.

 

[poodlechicks]

so sorry for your loss

 

[poodlechicks]

so sorry for your loss

I meant the post above for chickeechick. I'm still getting the hang of this posting thing

 

[BatonRougeChick]

Don't worry, no chicks were harmed in the making of this photo . This is a small kitten that loves to play with the chicks, but she won't really jump on them. She gets pecked pretty good .

 

[sn0wwhite]

My chickens are still growing in their eggs. 9 days til they arrive!

 

[AParmer]

We were mowing the lawn and came across a worm and decided that the little feathers needed it. These are my first batches of chicks I've ever raised. So we take the worm to the play area that the younger babes were in and put it down in their dish. It took a minute but they caught sight of their tasty snack and one of the BOs grabbed it and started running. It was hilarious! It looked like a little chicken football game in there. The others were chasing it to get the worm. Eventually one of the other BOs got the other end of the worm and an all out tug of war ensued. Needless to say we're rolling with laughter watching these guys. They managed to pull the worm in two. So now we have TWO babies running around like nuts trying to get away from everyone else so they can eat their spoils in peace. I have to say that there is honestly something extremely rewarding raising chicks!

I have; six 3 week old B.O., eight 2 week old Welsummers, and ten 2 week old B.O. babies. I have the older group separated. (Of course it's time to break up my 2 week old chicks because they're getting bigger and I don't want them to be crowded.)

 

[LittleBits]

Mine are currently arguing over a piece of bell pepper. Watching them chase each other around while no one eats it is hilarious! Especially since there are other pieces of veggies out as well.

Do all chickens do this? haha. You would think it's the last piece of goodie on earth - they all want the piece that someone else has! I have one (and only one!)

chicken that doesn't chase the rest - she waits until everyone else goes off chasing, then attacks the abandoned pile of other goodies. Smart one, eh?!

Then there's Mr. Roo - Mr. Roo lets the chickens take the food right out of his mouth! He hardly ever seems to get his share. And he just stands there, overlooking his flock, while everyone else scrambles and chases and fights.

You're right - they are hilarious and it never ends!!