chicken friendships

[Mrs. Mucket]

I am totally fascinated by watching the relationships among my chickens. We have two banties that are best buds in a flock of mostly standard pullets. The tiny Dark Brahma banty is bottom of the pecking order, and the Cochin banty is almost always at her side, even shielding her at night. I think it's sweet but I suppose it could be controlling behavior! The other night I went to check an owie on a large hen on the roost, and when she squawked, a little 4# White Leghorn next to her spread her wing across the 11# hen and held it there as if to protect her from my intrusion.

Who else has chicken friend stories?

 

[Meara]

I hope more people post. I find this topic really interesting.

 

[easttxchick]

My flock is divided into groups based on when they came into the flock.
I have 2 little Pyncheon Bantam roosters(Cletus and Jacques) that come out fighting first thing in the morning. The rest of the day, wherever you see one of them, the other won't be far away-they're best buddies.

 

[Jane Jill Jack]

My favorite hen protects the rest of the flock by jumping up and showing her claws at our dogs. Everybody else is afraid, but not her!

 

[BWKatz]

My Thelma & Louise both buff laced Polish have been best buds since they were day old. Wherever one goes the other goes...hence their names.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

It kills me that people say that animals don't show emotion. I say to that, obviously, you don't have a pet. Because they do show emotion.

 

[MakNugget]

Ruby #3 absolutely adores Aichan #1 despite the abuse... almost to the point of an overbearing boyfriend, except they are both hens. She insists on always being with her. Nap on roost? Check! Foraging? Check! Dust Bathing? Check! Why are you holding Aichan? Where are you going??
Lulu #2 likes to walk circles around her imaginary friend.

Aichan loves to be hugged, but it has to be on her schedule. "I'm free for 30 seconds, you may hug me."
Ruby is fearful of being held when Lulu is within striking distance of her jealous red faced rage. And I do mean rage.
Lulu is like TOUCH ME! TOUCH ME NAOOOOOOOOOW! Yesterday she started to fluff up and spread herself on top of my hand to brood.

 

[ChookHappy]

What I have found to be too funny is how our 4 month old cochins and turkeys get along. They are polar opposites yet they seem to understand each other so well! The cochins are always snuggling in with them at night. Too funny to watch.. lol gonna to head out there an get a laugh!

 

[emilysteng]

I love watching the chickens too. Just today we were treating the sores on my two chickens who have pox. They are brothers - 4 months old. While we had one up on the table - he would scream and his brother who was free running around nearby would scream back. It was just as if he was saying - Help!! And the other one was replying. They each did it while on the table. The two of them generally stick together even though they fight sometimes. Just like human brothers!

 

[CoyoteMagic]

My #1 Hen a Supersized Black-sexie was best buds with my smallest, weakest black-sexie. BroomHilda and Tessy the Headless Chicken. You couldn't find one without the other.

This is them with the rest of my first chickens. If you look closely, you maybe able to see Tessy's beak. She got squished down in the bedding in the brooder when she was a couple of days old. Tessy survived when 2 others did not. BroomHilda would bill food out of the feeder so Tessy could eat. No one was allowed to pick on Tessy or Broomy would yank their tail feathers, lol

We lost Tessy and 2 other hens to a neighbors dog. BroomHilda went with last years group of pullets to a great new home where I know they taken care. I got an email from the lady who has them last week. Broomy is still taking care of her flock and not allowing the new Roo's to hurt her girls!


The picture was taken before any of them started laying. Broomy had a comb bigger than some Roos and weighed about 8lbs, yet layed XL eggs