Chickens digesting food?

[Ole rooster]

I got to wondering today, do chickens take time out of ranging to digest their food, much like a cow chews their cud? Two or three times a day they bunch up in some 'private' spot and just sit down. I wondered if they were "chewing their cud" as it were?

I suppost they could be taking a nap.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Yes. The following pie chart shows results of follwing a free-range flock around for 24 hours during late May. Observations began at midnight 0000 and continued until 2400. Flock was mixed to include one rooster, 5 hens and a juvenile female. To types of behavior were associated with food intake; first was feeding which occured at feeding stations, second was foraging involving the methodical search for and consumption of live plant and animal items. Loafing repressented the bulk of activity which occured after bouts of feed intake. During loafing they stayed under cover to avoid exposure to wind, sun and likely predators. Some birds in flock while loafing would dose off but always more than one bird was vigilent. Loafing repressented roughly 1/2 of the daytime activities.

 

[Pinky]

^ That's pretty cool, learned something new

 

[hondo58]

Quote:
Yes. The following pie chart shows results of follwing a free-range flock around for 24 hours during late May. Observations began at midnight 0000 and continued until 2400. Flock was mixed to include one rooster, 5 hens and a juvenile female. To types of behavior were associated with food intake; first was feeding which occured at feeding stations, second was foraging involving the methodical search for and consumption of live plant and animal items. Loafing repressented the bulk of activity which occured after bouts of feed intake. During loafing they stayed under cover to avoid exposure to wind, sun and likely predators. Some birds in flock while loafing would dose off but always more than one bird was vigilent. Loafing repressented roughly 1/2 of the daytime activities.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/41527_diel_activity_pie_chart.jpg

This is the most interesting post that I have read. Thanks! Very informative.