constructing a single chicken family unit for porch

[centrarchid]

OBSERVATIONS ON INTER-SUBFLOCK STRIFE

I have changed feeding regimen to increase odds Sallie will come into front yard for the daily feeding bout. I gotta find her nest and in a 5 acre area, knowing general direction helps.

New feeding arrangements is bringing subflocks together as birds have to leave their territories to get feed. The subflocks are moving in same general area together but there is always a gap between is each group, like what you might see between different species of fish schooling together. Eduardo efforts to drive other subflocks away and they give a 3 to four foot circle they will not enter. Eduardos juveniles move freely into that circle.

Red jungle hen cut her wing like a rooster does when threatening a red jungle fowl x American game cockerol belonging to one of pasture subflocks (subflock 2). Both birds gave the hybrid contact / growl vocalization during the encounter. Hen won. The red jungle fowl do appear to have more complicated language than the domestic birds, at least in respect to what I can detect.

 

[welasharon]

When you say complicated language do you mean that as in more complex and rich? Do they seem to communicate between the different groups?

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
More words with meanings. All the groups, even the dominiques communicate within and between groups.

All have contact calls and degree of calls indicating food. The games and red jungle fowl may have ability to indicate food quality, type or quantity. The red jungle fowl also appear to have a call to arms that brings sub-flock together to push another sub-flock off a feeding area. Sounds dealing with aerial predators also more complex. Games indicate distance / degree of threat. Dominiques just indicate aerial threat.

 

[welasharon]

My feral rooster is very vocal and gets more response from the girls than do the fancy roosters, but then he is also more experienced. I will watch the vocal interactions more closely.
sharon

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Some of the vocalizations you gotta be real close to hear, like within arms length. I am hearing a lot since birds are so habituated to me. Hand rearing is a plus in that regard.

 

[centrarchid]

Sallie is off nest with one of her female offspring in tow. She fed heavily for about ten minutes and is now preening. When she drifts back to nest, she will be shadowed by me. Her tail feathers are a bit messed up so she must have a really cramped location.

 

[Meghalu]

Take pics!

 

[centrarchid]

She beat me! I went to make peanut butter and jelly sandwich and in that time she dissolved into the briar / sticktight patch behind house. Search area down to 2 acres on south and east sides of house.....

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
LOL... next time take your sandwich with you.... Ooh I just had a thought. With the way that hen saddles are made it would be very easy to do a Chicken CAM..... If you had some tech savvy people around you pretty easy to make up. You might even be able to pick up more vocalizations in the process..... Just thinkin....

 

[centrarchid]

Perchie.girl,

Already giving GPS units serious thought. Enough to write grant for three units. Would help with this problem as well. We have some wild life biologist in area but none to my knowledge using critter cams.

How is you coop hardening process coming along?