Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Shadrach]

Yes, what is up with that?! Same goes for drinking. Is that because food doesn’t come naturally in a bowl? If I want Charlie to drink when it’s hot, I have to tip water on the ground.

I think that has something to do with it.
I think as well the way chickens eat has something to do with it as well. They used to survive by foraging and their eyesight and tactile sense in their beak are designed to pick small items out from what surrounds them. On the ground, they can scratch and spread what it is they are interested in; a whole bowl of identical objects may make choosing may be more difficult.

 

[BY Bob]

But I’ve already got one! Actually, Tegan had settled down a bit yesterday; when I got home, River and Nyssa were outdoors! And they put themselves to bed with her, so we seem to be getting somewhere.

And on another note, Chickie is eating again! When we came back on Sunday I gave them some wheat and she started tucking into it! So I made them some oats and yoghurt, with some mealy worms and baby food stirred through it, just so she’d eat some more.

I am so happy to hear that she is eating again. That's great news.

 

[BY Bob]

I think that has something to do with it.
I think as well the way chickens eat has something to do with it as well. They used to survive by foraging and their eyesight and tactile sense in their beak are designed to pick small items out from what surrounds them. On the ground, they can scratch and spread what it is they are interested in; a whole bowl of identical objects may make choosing may be more difficult.

Interesting. I think I'm going to play around with this a little bit. There has to be an experiment in here somewhere.

 

[Shadrach]

Interesting. I think I'm going to play around with this a little bit. There has to be an experiment in here somewhere.

There is. Hang on.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031938496005355If my memory serves me there are some interesting reads in the references.

 

[Ribh]

My hubby just sent me a link to this article. Not sure how peer-reviewed it is, but I think some very qualified people write for it often.

https://theconversation.com/finding...us-understand-their-lives-in-captivity-119613

How interesting! I noticed some really odd behaviour in the younger Campines the other day which sounds like *play*. They were in the sandpit area when one suddenly began spinning round & performing what looked like a little indian war dance. The other joined in & these 2 mad birds spun round dementedly for almost 5 minutes. Just as suddenly it was all over & they wandered off.

 

[LozzyR]

It was the notion that chickens may feel some sort of contentment and/or be emotionally effected by their environment that I like about the article.

Me too. I get the feeling that articles submitted to this site are well-researched and thoughtful. Of course, I’ve only seen a handful and the opposite could well be true, but anyone advocating for the happiness of chickens gets a ‘like and share’ in my book.

 

[Shadrach]

What I want to know at the moment is why is there such a difference in the broody hen behaviour here and it seems the majority of others I read about.
Here's Donk. If you recall, I took her off her nest on one of the banks, put her in her tribes coop for the night and confiscated her eggs and messed up her nest.
She did go back and look at the nest this morning but didn't even bother sitting in it.
Apart from that the only sign she is broody is she ruffles up if another hen gets near her or something bugs her.
I've only ever had to confine one hen in ten years in order to discourage them from sitting.
Mel is about to go broody and that's in the house nest box. This poses problems because other hens use it. I have to remove all the eggs and when I spot another hen wanting to lay in it I have to put some eggs back.

 

[Ribh]

What I want to know at the moment is why is there such a difference in the broody hen behaviour here and it seems the majority of others I read about.
Here's Donk. If you recall, I took her off her nest on one of the banks, put her in her tribes coop for the night and confiscated her eggs and messed up her nest.
She did go back and look at the nest this morning but didn't even bother sitting in it.
Apart from that the only sign she is broody is she ruffles up if another hen gets near her or something bugs her.
I've only ever had to confine one hen in ten years in order to discourage them from sitting.
Mel is about to go broody and that's in the house nest box. This poses problems because other hens use it. I have to remove all the eggs and when I spot another hen wanting to lay in it I have to put some eggs back.

Could it be breed? The one Campine I've had try & sit acted nothing like any of the other broodies I've had & was easily discouraged by the removal of her eggs. In point of fact she acted so non typically * broody * she'd managed to accumulate 10 eggs before she went to sit & I *lost* her & became worried.

Campine behaviour is generally very different to that of my bigger, heavier breeds anyway & I didn't notice any obvious behavioural changes that would indicate broodiness to me.

 

[Shadrach]

Could it be breed? The one Campine I've had try & sit acted nothing like any of the other broodies I've had & was easily discouraged by the removal of her eggs. It point of fact she acted so non typically * broody * she'd managed to accumulate 10 eggs before she went to sit & I *lost* her & became worried.

Campine behaviour is generally very different to that of my bigger, heavier breeds anyway & I didn't notice any obvious behavioural changes that would indicate broodiness to me.

I don't know Ribh. The Marans here are not exactly lightweight and flighty. It was a Marans that I had most difficulty with; she wasn't having no for an answer. Could just be a particularly stubborn one.

 

[Ribh]

I don't know Ribh. The Marans here are not exactly lightweight and flighty. It was a Marans that I had most difficulty with; she wasn't having no for an answer. Could just be a particularly stubborn one.

True. Stubborness is not breed specific. It worries me how little I really know, let alone understand.