Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Lady Red]

This from the Smithsonian Magazine

Here’s how you do it:
All you have to do is hold the chicken's head down against the ground, and draw a straight line using a stick, a finger, chalk or whatever.
The line should start at the beak and extend straight outward in front of the chicken. If done properly, the chicken -or rooster- will be put into a state of trance and lie still for anywhere between 30 seconds to 30 minutes! To de-hypnotize the chicken just clap your hands or give it a gentle push. It may take a few tries to awaken the bird.

Tonic immobility is what researchers call "a fear-potentiated response” to being restrained. In other words, the chicken (or any other animal that exhibits this response) is convinced that it is going to die and goes into a kind of cationic state. According to Beredimas, farmers have known about this trick at least since 1646, when Athanasius Kircher published "Mirabile Experimentum de Imaginatione Gallinae.” The reaction seems to be most commonly reported in domesticated birds like chickens and quail, but other species seem to demonstrate tonic immobility as well. One study from 1928 looked at the response in lizards. Another watched the brains of rabbits during movement, rest, sleep and tonic immobility.

Here is the full article: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-you-hypnotize-chicken-180949940/

Well...that is why our sad attempts didn't work! No one was going to hold the poor bird's head down.

We ended up playing tic tac toe in the dirt instead

 

[cfonts]

I broke down and gave the chooks my meally worms. How could I resist having 12 pairs of chicken eyes begging me!

They sure know how to get their way with us, don't they?! I wouldn't have it any other way.

I am slowly making progress with this thread, only 293 pages to go...

 

[featherhead007]

Hope you have kept it covered! Arizona & Dakota are expectantly waiting on THEIR chicken palace.

I couldn’t live without those two feathered lredheaded vagabonds

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Nothing compares to true friendships. Which I lost today. My friend from Texas died this morning this hurts!

I’m so sorry Alex.

 

[MaryJanet]

I like your thought process there. The KISS principle . I always forget that part.

I understand your frustrations but if you redirect your energies into something with broader impact, you can be more beneficial.

 

[MaryJanet]

This from the Smithsonian Magazine

Here’s how you do it:
All you have to do is hold the chicken's head down against the ground, and draw a straight line using a stick, a finger, chalk or whatever.
The line should start at the beak and extend straight outward in front of the chicken. If done properly, the chicken -or rooster- will be put into a state of trance and lie still for anywhere between 30 seconds to 30 minutes! To de-hypnotize the chicken just clap your hands or give it a gentle push. It may take a few tries to awaken the bird.

Tonic immobility is what researchers call "a fear-potentiated response” to being restrained. In other words, the chicken (or any other animal that exhibits this response) is convinced that it is going to die and goes into a kind of cationic state. According to Beredimas, farmers have known about this trick at least since 1646, when Athanasius Kircher published "Mirabile Experimentum de Imaginatione Gallinae.” The reaction seems to be most commonly reported in domesticated birds like chickens and quail, but other species seem to demonstrate tonic immobility as well. One study from 1928 looked at the response in lizards. Another watched the brains of rabbits during movement, rest, sleep and tonic immobility.

Here is the full article: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-you-hypnotize-chicken-180949940/

I don't want them to be so frightened. So I won't be doing that.

 

[fuentemoon]

How did your day end up going? I hope the test results showed up today (albeit late) and negative.
More importantly, I hope you are feeling well!

1. Still no test results
2. Told to come to work anyway as if it had been positive I would have likely heard already and it wasn't actually a requirement, just a preference that I have the test
3. Got a text that there was an email (where is the hair pulling emoji) 45 min after I went to bed, saying to be there 20 min early for screening etc. and that we may only work 5 hours and definitely not more than 8 so done by 2. Fumble to reset alarm.
4. Get to work, all fine, normal stuff with 3 people all telling you to do contradictory jobs. Lots of physical labor, then suddenly let go at 10 am with most of the rest of my crew that started at 6. Just a four hour job, which is the minimum they can pay us for.

The guy running our calls right now is making some odd decisions. It is a job that seems to change hands semi regularly. I am not actually a union member, I work for the union when there is work, so I don't follow all the ins and outs.

Back to tear it all down and send the show on it's way at 10 pm.

 

[fuentemoon]

Chicken tax Rosie in the roses, that black shadow is Brenna.

Now that we have had a bit of rain it is started to green up a bit around here.

 

[Scrambles83]

It is coming fast enough. Life has thrown me a curve and I will not be home for the several days. This will delay completion of the Cluckle Hut and their movement out. As well as I will lose time with them.

My son in law fractured his tibia in the surf out on the outer banks in NC. His leg is immobilized and non weight bearing. I am now helping to get him back home to Detroit. That's a journey of nearly 1,000 miles. We completed 4 hours yesterday. While my daughter tends to him, I will be driving.

I will be an infrequent poster while we drive. Please behave yourselves.

Drive safe

 

[MaryJanet]

1. Still no test results
2. Told to come to work anyway as if it had been positive I would have likely heard already and it wasn't actually a requirement, just a preference that I have the test
3. Got a text that there was an email (where is the hair pulling emoji) 45 min after I went to bed, saying to be there 20 min early for screening etc. and that we may only work 5 hours and definitely not more than 8 so done by 2. Fumble to reset alarm.
4. Get to work, all fine, normal stuff with 3 people all telling you to do contradictory jobs. Lots of physical labor, then suddenly let go at 10 am with most of the rest of my crew that started at 6. Just a four hour job, which is the minimum they can pay us for.

The guy running our calls right now is making some odd decisions. It is a job that seems to change hands semi regularly. I am not actually a union member, I work for the union when there is work, so I don't follow all the ins and outs.

Back to tear it all down and send the show on it's way at 10 pm.

Are you not allowed to stay and watch the show?