Farm chatter

[black_cat]

my dad told me once that if there is no rooster, a hen will take over as the protector of the flock, and act as a rooster


is this true or some myth he came across?

Occasionally a hen will crow, and there's almost always a dominant hen, but most still don't really act like roosters. (for example, Tillie is definitely in charge, but she in NO way acts like a rooster)

 

[ButtonHoarder]

I have Orp x Deleware, Cornish X mix, more ameraucana eggs and a mystery egg. It’s either Attack x legbar mix or ameraucana x welsummer.

OOoh! Can we please have pics when they hatch?

 

[ShrekDawg]

I gotta wait until all the snow, & ice melts though. It's terribly icy where I'd need to set up the ladder.

That will be a while though won’t it? Can you put salt down?

The number of birds isn't the problem.

But if no one will help you with anything then it might be easier to have less. Didn’t you say you needed a bigger coop anyway?

 

[JadeFarms]

OOoh! Can we please have pics when they hatch?

Of course!

 

[chickentrains]

Occasionally a hen will crow, and there's almost always a dominant hen, but most still don't really act like roosters. (for example, Tillie is definitely in charge, but she in NO way acts like a rooster)

I don't know how a rooster acts, but it made sense to me.

I really don't know who the Dominant hen is. its either Hollis or Dotty. Opal is a jerk to all the the babies besides Clairee, because she is probably lower on the pecking order than Clairee, who is one of the "babies" (they are 9 months old but babies to me >:L)

The two girls who I think might be head of the flock scream ad gather everybody up when they hear a weird noise, they scream when they find good food to get all the others to come and check it out.. thats about all I've noticed..

 

[MysteryChicken]

my dad told me once that if there is no rooster, a hen will take over as the protector of the flock, and act as a rooster


is this true or some myth he came across?

Sometimes hens will grow rooster plumage, but usually that's caused by an offset of hormones caused by the ovary getting damaged.

Sometimes they'll take on the role of a rooster without ovary damage too.

 

[chickentrains]

Sometimes hens will grow rooster plumage, but usually that's caused by an offset of hormones caused by the ovary getting damaged.

Sometimes they'll take on the role of a rooster without ovary damage too.

I know nothing about chickens, other than basic care, so I thought it was worth a ask

my dad also told me they could.. change genders, but he didn't know how.

He said that our hens where stressed because there was no rooster and they where trying to make up for it.

 

[chickentrains]

from my untrained eye, they don't look stressed at all though

 

[MysteryChicken]

That will be a while though won’t it? Can you put salt down?

But if no one will help you with anything then it might be easier to have less. Didn’t you say you needed a bigger coop anyway?

The bantam coop needs an expansion, which is the only one that's maxed out right now.

I'll be building a coop this year for the Malays, & Sumatras. The design is a breeding coop, which is divided into sections for separate breeds.

Bantam coop expansion is possible to get done in one day, a gate will have to be built the next day, because I think we're out of hinges, & latches.

 

[chickentrains]

MY DAD GOT MCDONALDS BREAKFAST

my depression? GONE