Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[BY Bob]

Oh. I thought it was on the ground to begin with

Flying earthworms?

Now there is an image.

 

[BY Bob]

The Sentinel

There she stands like a Sentinel. Guardian of a flock that is not hers to rule. Yet she does it gladly with no recompense. The lives of her fellow flock-mates subject to her wariness, her keen eyes and ears. Let trouble arrive and she will sound the alarm. All will speed to safety.

Have you ever noticed in your all hen flocks that one lady always seems a little more vigilant than the others? In flocks without roosters one hen will assume the position of Sentinel for the flock. It is never the Alpha hen and typically is #2 in the pecking order. In my flock Hattie (my #2) has the job, as you can see from above photo.

I dont know if it is an elected position, appointed by the Alpha hen, or if she just decides to take on the role. I do love the mental picture of hens campaigning for the job, debates and all.

It is much easier to see when they are free ranging in the open. For years in my flock of 3 I just thought Patsy was more wary than the others but she was their Sentinel. While Jabber was running the flock that was his job and the hens concentrated on foraging when they were out. When he left and Patsy took over again, Hattie was Sentinel even though she was #3 hen. I guess Lilly did not want the job.

Watch your flocks and tell me who your sentinels are. Post pictures of them on duty if you can. They deserve some special attention for all the work they do for the others.

 

[WhoDatChick]

My son used to say "I'd explain it to you but, you're too dumb to understand." Luckily he was a very young child then and he survived it. He was using computers ( a 3rd. hand one) since he was 4. Used Apple and IBM. I think with kids they don't worry about "goofing up," like older people do, so no stress.

 

[mixedUPturk]

The Sentinel

There she stands like a Sentinel. Guardian of a flock that is not hers to rule. Yet she does it gladly with no recompense. The lives of her fellow flock-mates subject to her wariness, her keen eyes and ears. Let trouble arrive and she will sound the alarm. All will speed to safety.
View attachment 1910208

Have you ever noticed in your all hen flocks that one lady always seems a little more vigilant than the others? In flocks without roosters one hen will assume the position of Sentinel for the flock. It is never the Alpha hen and typically is #2 in the pecking order. In my flock Hattie (my #2) has the job, as you can see from above photo.

I dont know if it is an elected position, appointed by the Alpha hen, or if she just decides to take on the role. I do love the mental picture of hens campaigning for the job, debates and all.

It is much easier to see when they are free ranging in the open. For years in my flock of 3 I just thought Patsy was more wary than the others but she was their Sentinel. While Jabber was running the flock that was his job and the hens concentrated on foraging when they were out. When he left and Patsy took over again, Hattie was Sentinel even though she was #3 hen. I guess Lilly did not want the job.

Watch your flocks and tell me who your sentinels are. Post pictures of them on duty if you can. They deserve some special attention for all the work they do for the others.

In my flock we need our roosters to breed so i dont have any hen only free ranging but this is a really neat topic that im pretty sure @Shadrach would find interesting.

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

The Sentinel

There she stands like a Sentinel. Guardian of a flock that is not hers to rule. Yet she does it gladly with no recompense. The lives of her fellow flock-mates subject to her wariness, her keen eyes and ears. Let trouble arrive and she will sound the alarm. All will speed to safety.
View attachment 1910208

Have you ever noticed in your all hen flocks that one lady always seems a little more vigilant than the others? In flocks without roosters one hen will assume the position of Sentinel for the flock. It is never the Alpha hen and typically is #2 in the pecking order. In my flock Hattie (my #2) has the job, as you can see from above photo.

I dont know if it is an elected position, appointed by the Alpha hen, or if she just decides to take on the role. I do love the mental picture of hens campaigning for the job, debates and all.

It is much easier to see when they are free ranging in the open. For years in my flock of 3 I just thought Patsy was more wary than the others but she was their Sentinel. While Jabber was running the flock that was his job and the hens concentrated on foraging when they were out. When he left and Patsy took over again, Hattie was Sentinel even though she was #3 hen. I guess Lilly did not want the job.

Watch your flocks and tell me who your sentinels are. Post pictures of them on duty if you can. They deserve some special attention for all the work they do for the others.

I haven't noticed any of my girls acting as sentinel. They are too busy running away from Tsuki-the-bully.

 

[BY Bob]

I haven't noticed any of my girls acting as sentinel. They are too busy running away from Tsuki-the-bully.

Those bossy leghorns.

 

[drumstick diva]

I love to hear/see empowered HENS

 

[Ribh]

The Sentinel

There she stands like a Sentinel. Guardian of a flock that is not hers to rule. Yet she does it gladly with no recompense. The lives of her fellow flock-mates subject to her wariness, her keen eyes and ears. Let trouble arrive and she will sound the alarm. All will speed to safety.
View attachment 1910208

Have you ever noticed in your all hen flocks that one lady always seems a little more vigilant than the others? In flocks without roosters one hen will assume the position of Sentinel for the flock. It is never the Alpha hen and typically is #2 in the pecking order. In my flock Hattie (my #2) has the job, as you can see from above photo.

I dont know if it is an elected position, appointed by the Alpha hen, or if she just decides to take on the role. I do love the mental picture of hens campaigning for the job, debates and all.

It is much easier to see when they are free ranging in the open. For years in my flock of 3 I just thought Patsy was more wary than the others but she was their Sentinel. While Jabber was running the flock that was his job and the hens concentrated on foraging when they were out. When he left and Patsy took over again, Hattie was Sentinel even though she was #3 hen. I guess Lilly did not want the job.

Watch your flocks and tell me who your sentinels are. Post pictures of them on duty if you can. They deserve some special attention for all the work they do for the others.

OK, now this is interesting... because my girl who does escort duty also seems to be the guard chook. She's not top ~ though not for want of ambition... She's 2nd or 3rd ~ my flock is fairly egalitarian in some ways~ but she's often on the lowest roost where she has the best view of who's coming & going on the ladder. When she does roost on the top she's always last up after everyone else has settled. She's also pretty feisty [Barred Rock so no docile little flower] but she doesn't need to run round pecking others to let them know their place & she's always been one of my cluier chooks. My other BRs could be broody nutters, completely unaware of anything but broodiness, but not Soda. That's her on the 2nd roost supervising bedtime. She paces that rail until everyone settles down & only then looks for her own roosting spot. Her sister, Hepzibah, is top hen

I've just noticed something really interesting about this picture too: From left ~right: Pebbles & Luna [3rd & 4th in the pecking order, Hepzibah, then Patricia & Suyin [5th & 6th], Ha'penny & Tuppence [7 & 8], Lavender sort of rotates with Tuppence & Lottie is tucked in under Lavender, definitely bottom!

 

[BY Bob]

OK, now this is interesting... because my girl who does escort duty also seems to be the guard chook. She's not top ~ though not for want of ambition... She's 2nd or 3rd ~ my flock is fairly egalitarian in some ways~ but she's often on the lowest roost where she has the best view of who's coming & going on the ladder. When she does roost on the top she's always last up after everyone else has settled. She's also pretty feisty [Barred Rock so no docile little flower] but she doesn't need to run round pecking others to let them know their place & she's always been one of my cluier chooks. My other BRs could be broody nutters, completely unaware of anything but broodiness, but not Soda. That's her on the 2nd roost supervising bedtime. She paces that rail until everyone settles down & only then looks for her own roosting spot. Her sister, Hepzibah, is top henView attachment 1912172
I've just noticed something really interesting about this picture too: From left ~right: Pebbles & Luna [3rd & 4th in the pecking order, Hepzibah, then Patricia & Suyin [5th & 6th], Ha'penny & Tuppence [7 & 8], Lavender sort of rotates with Tuppence & Lottie is tucked in under Lavender, definitely bottom!

Very cool. Isn't it neat to watch once you understand a little more about their structure and society. It makes perfect sense that the Sentinel does escort duty as well. She is the only one really paying close attention to everything. Thanks for sharing. I love that she patrols the roost as well. I don't think I have enough hens for that to be a need and I have never seen that behavior.

 

[WhoDatChick]

There is NO way Ruby, Maryn, or Rosemary... 1,2 & 3... are gonna be doing any sort of escorting for ANYONE! Except themselves! And not for each other either! Now, I’ll have to pay a bit more attention for a watcher... Rosemary is on occasion known to sound an alarm but she is in no way ALWAYS on the lookout! Actually, I have quite a few that’ll sound the alarm but Rosemary could be found doing it more often... I have also noticed that when they are doing the egg song and I come out or go in there they stop.. so perhaps I’m the “rooster” and they are satisfied when I show up