You aren't trying to influence her with regard to chickens by any chance are you?
Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock
- Thread starter BY Bob
- Start date
I've mentioned Lock on these threads before. She is a hen but she doesn't lay eggs and doesn't do hen stuff. I was watching her tonight at supper time. Her behaviour is extraordinary but even more extraordinary is the the rest of the tribes tolerance and reaction to her.
Lock neck grabs other hens and she does it to roosters as well. One would have thought such behaviour would elicit instant retribution from the roosters in particular. I watched her do the neck grab to Mag this evening and it did stratle him; he was eating at the time. He leapt up and spun around, but as soon as he saw it was Lock he just gave her a single not very hard peck and went back to eating. Lock then did the same to Bracket. Bracket just complained and moved around the feed bowl. If a young cockerel does that to Bracket she'll go for them full tilt and chase them around for a bit.
Lock does what a junior rooster would do at feed time and hangs back with Mag. She doesn't keep watch as such, she just doesn't eat with the other hens until there is space and that usually means the seniors have finished eating.
I tease some of the chickens by gently swatting their tail feathers. This normally produces indignant noises and immediate moving away. Lock doesn't bat an eyelid.
She has mock fights with Mag who is incredibly gentle with her. I was watching them today and Mag will leap up at her when she attacks him but he doesn't strike. He has never raised his hackles at her. Punch the senior rooster doesn't bother her. Neither try to mate with her.
Lock follows the tribe during the day at the same kind of distance a junior rooster would. At roost time Lock doesn't have a position in the who can go in the coop in which order.
I would need a few fairly long video clips to show her behaviour, but it's obvious just from watching her with the tribe that she is different.
The noticeable physical differences are her legs are stouter than the hens and overall she's a heavier build.
What I find fascinating is the rest of the tribe just seem to accept her as she is.
Anyway, here she is.
This Bracket, Hinge, Nolia, Punch, Tack and the young cockerel all eating while Lock and Mag are standing next to me on the top step.
This is Lock eating after the others had thinned out.
This is Mag waiting to eat. He keeps watch and eats last in general.
Lock neck grabs other hens and she does it to roosters as well. One would have thought such behaviour would elicit instant retribution from the roosters in particular. I watched her do the neck grab to Mag this evening and it did stratle him; he was eating at the time. He leapt up and spun around, but as soon as he saw it was Lock he just gave her a single not very hard peck and went back to eating. Lock then did the same to Bracket. Bracket just complained and moved around the feed bowl. If a young cockerel does that to Bracket she'll go for them full tilt and chase them around for a bit.
Lock does what a junior rooster would do at feed time and hangs back with Mag. She doesn't keep watch as such, she just doesn't eat with the other hens until there is space and that usually means the seniors have finished eating.
I tease some of the chickens by gently swatting their tail feathers. This normally produces indignant noises and immediate moving away. Lock doesn't bat an eyelid.
She has mock fights with Mag who is incredibly gentle with her. I was watching them today and Mag will leap up at her when she attacks him but he doesn't strike. He has never raised his hackles at her. Punch the senior rooster doesn't bother her. Neither try to mate with her.
Lock follows the tribe during the day at the same kind of distance a junior rooster would. At roost time Lock doesn't have a position in the who can go in the coop in which order.
I would need a few fairly long video clips to show her behaviour, but it's obvious just from watching her with the tribe that she is different.
The noticeable physical differences are her legs are stouter than the hens and overall she's a heavier build.
What I find fascinating is the rest of the tribe just seem to accept her as she is.
Anyway, here she is.
This Bracket, Hinge, Nolia, Punch, Tack and the young cockerel all eating while Lock and Mag are standing next to me on the top step.
This is Lock eating after the others had thinned out.
This is Mag waiting to eat. He keeps watch and eats last in general.
- Thread starter
- #12,003
I would NEVER not influence her towards chickens.
- Thread starter
- #12,004
She is absolutely fascinating. Please keep sharing her story with us. The flocks acceptance of her is quite enlightened.
It's super tasty on wholemeal english muffinsI love Vegemite spread thick on hot, buttered English muffins!
Seedy bread is good too, especially with thinly grated cheese on top of the Vegemite
I'll give it a try next time I'm back in old Blighty.
Those poor old hens. That poor lady.
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