Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[LozzyR]

I didn't know they did a butchered version.

One of the local TV stations aired it decades ago; my grandfather and I tried watching it but we gave up halfway through because we couldn’t make sense of it. When you cut all the profanities out you lose context and it’s tricky enough as it is keeping up as it’s shown out of sequence. Personally, I love it that it’s not linear but you have to keep everything in so it makes sense. Back in the 90s I absolutely hated swearing in movies. Now I’m desensitised.

 

[Shadrach]

Tarantino is an acquired taste. The first time I watched it I did it under protest because I hadn't like John Travolta. I had to change my view after watching him in Pulp Fiction. I thought he was exceptional.

 

[LozzyR]

I was just taking a picture of Mr. Bunny in the run when I caught her in the background. I didn't realize she was following him at first.

Lilly can look really mean. I love when she shoots the others that face and they just back down. She can freeze Aurora with just a look. I have watched her hold Aurora in place for minutes just by staring at her.
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Lucy can look really mean. Charlie just is!

 

[LozzyR]

Tarantino is an acquired taste. The first time I watched it I did it under protest because I hadn't like John Travolta. I had to change my view after watching him in Pulp Fiction. I thought he was exceptional.

It’s one of my favourite movies. I have a very large, eclectic selection of favourite movies, from Pulp Fiction, Dogma to Aliens, to Dave. It doesn’t matter what genre it is, if it’s well done and has depth, I will like it. I like a lot of the Pixar kids’ movies for the same reason. (I should be writing this on @drumstick diva ’s thread!)

 

[Shadrach]

@Shadrach :I don't suppose you've got any theories? Mostly Ha'penny is happy to use the nesting boxes but every so often she gets a real bee in her bonnet about laying somewhere else & paces & screams & complains if she can't get to her particular spot. Sometimes it happens after I've let them out & I find her egg on top of the mulch bag [her favourite outside spot] but sometimes we all have to put up with her antics. Morrigu is a bit the same way. She gets agitated & screams blue murder before she settles on somewhere to lay.

We don't have a lot of predators but they are still safer laying in the boxes. Hepzibah often takes hours to produce her egg. It's no wonder she goes broody so often, the amount of times she sits cogitating before an egg appears!

I have got a theory Ribh. Whether or not it applies to your hens I have no idea. Whether it applies to the hens here is almost untestable.
It's my belief a hen knows when she plans to sit when she lays the first egg in a nest. I have hens who lay in mixed nests, in various coop nest boxes and then one day they change site.
Those who I have managed to monitor have sat after the laying site change.
I don't think broodiness is some random on and off switch. I think hens make a judgment about resources, tribe stability and other factors. Other creatures do much the same including humans.
I may be completely wrong and I'm not ever going to be in a position to test the theory.
It's taken me almost a decade to work out the escort call beyond reasonable doubt and the few other things I've not so much discovered, more re established.
Like many aereas of knowledge chicken behaviour has been known about but largely undocumented and/or subjected to scientific scrutiny. We've forgotten more than we've learn't it seems at times.

 

[Shadrach]

@Shadrach :I don't suppose you've got any theories? Mostly Ha'penny is happy to use the nesting boxes but every so often she gets a real bee in her bonnet about laying somewhere else & paces & screams & complains if she can't get to her particular spot. Sometimes it happens after I've let them out & I find her egg on top of the mulch bag [her favourite outside spot] but sometimes we all have to put up with her antics. Morrigu is a bit the same way. She gets agitated & screams blue murder before she settles on somewhere to lay.

We don't have a lot of predators but they are still safer laying in the boxes. Hepzibah often takes hours to produce her egg. It's no wonder she goes broody so often, the amount of times she sits cogitating before an egg appears!

So, if you have a hen that lays happily in a nest box most of the time and then goes feral nesting, I think she may be pre broody if you get my meaning.

 

[Ribh]

Yes. I see mine have plenty of resources but if every hen sat who wants to space would quickly become an issue. And if your theory is true then even very young hens are capable of making that assessment ~ as per Mhari. It has taken a couple of cold lonely nights to convince her she really doesn't want to sit after all.

 

[Shadrach]

Yes. I see mine have plenty of resources but if every hen sat who wants to space would quickly become an issue. And if your theory is true then even very young hens are capable of making that assessment ~ as per Mhari. It has taken a couple of cold lonely nights to convince her she really doesn't want to sit after all.

I think it is more than resources. I discuss this a fair bit with by Finnish friend who is trying to save Finnish landrace breeds.
There are some interesting factors that need to be taken into account. Possibly the most important is the hens ability to prevent a roosters sperm from fertilizing her eggs.
This already suggests the hen is capable of making a choice of an outcome in the future.
That has some far reaching implications.

 

[Ribh]

I think it is more than resources. I discuss this a fair bit with by Finnish friend who is trying to save Finnish landrace breeds.
There are some interesting factors that need to be taken into account. Possibly the most important is the hens ability to prevent a roosters sperm from fertilizing her eggs.
This already suggests the hen is capable of making a choice of an outcome in the future.
That has some far reaching implications.

When is this book of yours coming out, Shad?!!! I have questions forming but I don't know enough to formulate them properly. What you are talking about is population control, yes? So a hen takes all these various things into consideration before deciding to sit & basically controls both her fertility & her population.

 

[Shadrach]

Unfortunately as with all creatures that get exploited by humans, including other humans, one of the steps that help make such exploitation acceptable is the dehumanizing of that creature.
If for example the chicken was perceived to have a similar emotional response to humans then some people at least would no longer be comfortable with how the chicken gets treated. While they are stupid prey creatures the exploitation is easier for us to deal with.