Derperella, the (weird) Faverolles, & Friends
- Thread starter Nambroth
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #2,652
This is a little story about Moa.
Moa is also known as "The Stink" because if the Fud Lady does not keep some of her fluffy butt trimmed.. Moa starts to yield dingleberries. These are one berry that you don't want anything to do with.
Moa is the top hen, and she has the comb to show it. Gigantic, bright red, nicely folded in the front the way a lady's comb should be. Nevermind that a single comb shouldn't do that. It's how she likes it, thank you very much!
She is a big lady, though we shall not call her fat. Heavens, no! Perhaps rotund sounds better. She isn't sure what rotund means, exactly, but it is much more dignified than 'fat'. What an ugly word for a lady like her!
She is a bit matronly and stern. She disciplines the others with pecks when they do not behave as they should, but they are never mean pecks. They aren't hard enough to cause more than an undignified yelp, and she doesn't grab feathers or pull combs like some of the others do. They are simple "that will do, thank you very much" type pecks.
Moa has developed a splendid routine every morning. She knows that the Fud Lady comes out and brings the FUUUUD with her! She will excitedly partake of the Fud while the Lady does things like change and clean the water bowl, and tidy the coop. One thing that the Fud Lady does is scoop the poop off of the poop board. By this time, Moa has eaten enough to feel pretty good about herself, and she will pace back and forth a few times. Perhaps the Fud Lady is done scooping, or perhaps not. Either way, things run on Moa's schedule, so when Moa is ready, Moa is ready.
She hops up onto the roost, because it is much more important to be in this location than any other, for some reason. It would not be right, not at all, for what she wants.
Because, you see, Moa wants her keel to be pet.
If the Fud Lady is still scoopin' (the poop), Moa will slowly walk over to her, whisper, and drag her beak across the Fud Lady's arm.
"Hwwaah, hhwaa, hwahhhh," she will murmur at the Fud Lady.
"Just a minute Stink, I've got to clean up your messes. Who left this giant green one? Oh my gosh you guys really didn't have to smear this one all over the wall..."
"Hhhhwwhh... hhwaahh?" Moa will ask.
The Fud Lady will sigh, finish up, and pet Moa's keel. How can she resist with such breathy whispering? Especially when she is used to the way the other chickens "ask" for attention.
Coho SCREAMS in her face.
Derp also YELLS AND BELLOWS in her face (and sometimes chest...)
Chickadee JUMPS onto her head (sometimes with feet that are not quite pristine...)
Kua attempts to SWALLOW her fingers whole.
Willow "bamp bamp bamp"s and throws herself from the coop.
And Lorp brews dark, swirling evil.
Moa's whispers and quiet questions hardly seem rude after all of that!
So, Fud Lady shoves her fingers into Moa's feathers, at the keel. This is exactly what Moa wants! She will become sleepy and dreamy-eyed, and whisper very very quietly to herself. Sometimes she will make a big deal about preening the air or the Fud Lady's hand. But mostly, she is just dreamy and happy.
Moa would like this to happen for hours, and sometimes the Fud Lady does it for quite a while. If she stops, Moa will whisper questions again and look at her imploringly.
"Hhhhwahhh, hwhh hwaa?"
Moa is also known as "The Stink" because if the Fud Lady does not keep some of her fluffy butt trimmed.. Moa starts to yield dingleberries. These are one berry that you don't want anything to do with.
Moa is the top hen, and she has the comb to show it. Gigantic, bright red, nicely folded in the front the way a lady's comb should be. Nevermind that a single comb shouldn't do that. It's how she likes it, thank you very much!
She is a big lady, though we shall not call her fat. Heavens, no! Perhaps rotund sounds better. She isn't sure what rotund means, exactly, but it is much more dignified than 'fat'. What an ugly word for a lady like her!
She is a bit matronly and stern. She disciplines the others with pecks when they do not behave as they should, but they are never mean pecks. They aren't hard enough to cause more than an undignified yelp, and she doesn't grab feathers or pull combs like some of the others do. They are simple "that will do, thank you very much" type pecks.
Moa has developed a splendid routine every morning. She knows that the Fud Lady comes out and brings the FUUUUD with her! She will excitedly partake of the Fud while the Lady does things like change and clean the water bowl, and tidy the coop. One thing that the Fud Lady does is scoop the poop off of the poop board. By this time, Moa has eaten enough to feel pretty good about herself, and she will pace back and forth a few times. Perhaps the Fud Lady is done scooping, or perhaps not. Either way, things run on Moa's schedule, so when Moa is ready, Moa is ready.
She hops up onto the roost, because it is much more important to be in this location than any other, for some reason. It would not be right, not at all, for what she wants.
Because, you see, Moa wants her keel to be pet.
If the Fud Lady is still scoopin' (the poop), Moa will slowly walk over to her, whisper, and drag her beak across the Fud Lady's arm.
"Hwwaah, hhwaa, hwahhhh," she will murmur at the Fud Lady.
"Just a minute Stink, I've got to clean up your messes. Who left this giant green one? Oh my gosh you guys really didn't have to smear this one all over the wall..."
"Hhhhwwhh... hhwaahh?" Moa will ask.
The Fud Lady will sigh, finish up, and pet Moa's keel. How can she resist with such breathy whispering? Especially when she is used to the way the other chickens "ask" for attention.
Coho SCREAMS in her face.
Derp also YELLS AND BELLOWS in her face (and sometimes chest...)
Chickadee JUMPS onto her head (sometimes with feet that are not quite pristine...)
Kua attempts to SWALLOW her fingers whole.
Willow "bamp bamp bamp"s and throws herself from the coop.
And Lorp brews dark, swirling evil.
Moa's whispers and quiet questions hardly seem rude after all of that!
So, Fud Lady shoves her fingers into Moa's feathers, at the keel. This is exactly what Moa wants! She will become sleepy and dreamy-eyed, and whisper very very quietly to herself. Sometimes she will make a big deal about preening the air or the Fud Lady's hand. But mostly, she is just dreamy and happy.
Moa would like this to happen for hours, and sometimes the Fud Lady does it for quite a while. If she stops, Moa will whisper questions again and look at her imploringly.
"Hhhhwahhh, hwhh hwaa?"
Last edited:
Love the video and story of Moa!
I guess spring is finally coming your way if you got 7 eggs......
I guess spring is finally coming your way if you got 7 eggs......
Thank you for the story and video. My day is not complete unless I visit with Derp and family. Thank you so much for inviting us into your chicken world with your stories.
You are so lucky that your feathery friends like to be touched. I raised mine from peepers and although all will readily eat from my hand none of them enjoy being touched, never mind petted. The only thing they accept is a friendly little tail tug. Some of them seem to enjoy it and my EE, Kiwi, shakes her tail at me after I do so.
Country George, they think you are a Rooster tugging their tails
- Thread starter
- #2,657
Sometimes chickens have to be shown that attention can be a rewarding experience. Unlike some of our other companion birds, such as parrots, they don't spent too much time allopreening (preening one another socially) and their social bonds are not quite the same. They are not centered around a lot of physical attention, so chickens are sometimes suspicious of it! I have a few birds that are 'hands off' (ahem.. Lorp..) but you can pick the most likely candidates and show them that maybe it's not such a bad thing. You have to show that you are trustworthy, and that hey, good stuff comes when this person touches me! They may grow to like it, or not-- you have to remember they are all individuals and that their preferences will vary!
This may take some time and patience!
Get your chickens most favorite treat. You may need to do this in an area with only your 'ideal' chickens that you feel are going to be most tolerant to touching.. if you try it with everyone at once, it might be a free for all of jostling and craziness! Offer the treats only in your hand, close to your body. Sometimes it helps to squat down or get down to chicken level (in the summer I sit right on the ground when it's dry). The idea is to get a candidate eating out of your hand happily, then slowly reach a hand under their keel. Perhaps don't touch them the first few times... you're introducing the hand, showing that it's not going to grab or pull feathers or bother them, really, and aren't they getting all these awesome treats at the same time?! Maybe do this a few times a day for a few days. Reach underneath but no real touching. Curb your temptation to touch too soon. You want them to trust you.
Soon the chickens that are prone to trusting you should think it's no big deal when you slowly and gently reach under them. Continue to offer treats in one hand, and maybe this time poke your fingers into the feathers gently. Retreat if they show signs of alarm. Continue doing this a few times a day, for days, until the chicken seems to be pretty okay with it.
The next step is to actually gently rub the keel/skin/ while offering treats. The idea is to show that it's pleasant, and they have nothing to fear from you. In time, if they like it, they may learn to ask or even approach you to be pet in this way, even if you don't have treats! It took me the better part of a year to show Moa that I was pretty okay and that being pet was surely a fine thing indeed.
A trusting relationship with a pet is very rewarding, but can require patience! I have noticed that some breeds are much quicker to warm up to petting than others. Both of my faverolles have always liked it. I have read that cochins and brahmas both are often very fond of it. Orpingtons are reputed to be sweet too, as are silkies. But at the end of the day, each one is an individual!
This might be. If I touch their tails I always get a tailshake from them too. It's almost as if saying "Well you messed it up, let me fix it again". Sort of how they will shake vigorously to re-set their feathers after a rooster has been at them.
Last edited:
Aw, she has such a sweet face in that video! 
Gotta love those barred Rocks!
None of my Rocks (or really anyone except good ol' Frou-frou) ask for attention, though. I will be going along and suddenly have one breathing down my neck from the perches, or trying to force her way up onto my lap, or poking at my arms from on top of something, or pecking my shins... Pushy girls.
Gotta love those barred Rocks!None of my Rocks (or really anyone except good ol' Frou-frou) ask for attention, though. I will be going along and suddenly have one breathing down my neck from the perches, or trying to force her way up onto my lap, or poking at my arms from on top of something, or pecking my shins... Pushy girls.
Last edited:
Similar threads
New posts New threads Active threads
-
Latest threads
-
Cellular game/security cameras- Started by RoseHawke
- Replies: 0
-
Hen limping, losing feathers
- Started by cheitz20
- Replies: 0
-
-
-
-
-
Threads with more replies in the last 15 days
-
-
-
-
-
Prettiest chicken breeds and plumage color- Started by Beau plus penny
- Replies: 46
-
