HEN Placing Loose Rooster's Feathers in Her Wings

[zach w]

I introduced a Rooster to my coop on Sunday the 13th before that all I had was 10 hens, about 5 months old who just started laying. The hens are apprehensive to the Rooster still but one of the Hens likes to take the feathers that fall off the Rooster and place them in her wings, under her wings and in her back. If they fall out she picks them up and places them back in her feathers. She likes the big feathers the small fuzzy ones basically anything that happens to fall off of him. She is brown and lays brown eggs the rooster is black so it looks extra funny. She laid her first egg today as well if that means anything. Has anyone experienced this or know what it means?

Zac

 

[tantricdragon13]

Wow, I've never heard of that before! Certainly interesting behaviour!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Quite a few of my hens do this just after they lay an egg. I find them walking around with feathers, shavings, straw, sticks and even a zip tie once, sticking out of their feathers. I assume its nesting behavior. My more broody hens seem to do it the most

 

[Lurch77]

You never wore your boyfriend/girlfriend's class ring?

 

[chooks4life]

Yeah, it's nesting behavior, some hens are adept at building nests and some lack complete instinct and just walk around attempting to build nests on their backs with whatever materials they find. :/