Having chickens for only a year now, I learn something new every day! I spend a lot of time watching their behaviors and I am so amused at the things they do!
Today at dusk I watched the girls getting ready for bed. The five younger girls were already on the roost, but they happened to be in the big girls usual spot. As the big girls came into the coop, they one by one hopped up on the other end of the roost, with the dominant hen, lavender orp Bri Bri, being last up and the closest to the 14 week old pullets. She kept leering over at the little ones next to her and I could tell she was not happy with her position. She finally intimidated two of them to leave to a different roost. Bri Bri, now content, snuggles her head under the big fluffy Wyandotte, as I see her do quite often at bed time. She buries her head under Fluffer's body sort of like a chick snuggling under its mother.
I have never seen Bri Bri snuggle with any other hen, nor have I seen any other hens snuggle at all, except for when they were baby chicks. Now, over on the other roost, the dominant of the little pullets, Thelma, settles in and starts snuggling her head under her sister!
Hmm, so the most dominant hen gets snuggling rights? Are other hens allowed to snuggle?
All of my hens were incubator hatched and raised in my basement. Sadly, they never had a mama hen to snuggle up with for protection and warmth. They would try to get underneath each other, especially is frightened or startled.
I wonder if Thelma learned to snuggle by watching Bri Bri?
Funny how the big bad dominant hen seems to need the security of mama as she drifts off to sleep.
Bri Bri, you're such a big baby!
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Today at dusk I watched the girls getting ready for bed. The five younger girls were already on the roost, but they happened to be in the big girls usual spot. As the big girls came into the coop, they one by one hopped up on the other end of the roost, with the dominant hen, lavender orp Bri Bri, being last up and the closest to the 14 week old pullets. She kept leering over at the little ones next to her and I could tell she was not happy with her position. She finally intimidated two of them to leave to a different roost. Bri Bri, now content, snuggles her head under the big fluffy Wyandotte, as I see her do quite often at bed time. She buries her head under Fluffer's body sort of like a chick snuggling under its mother.
I have never seen Bri Bri snuggle with any other hen, nor have I seen any other hens snuggle at all, except for when they were baby chicks. Now, over on the other roost, the dominant of the little pullets, Thelma, settles in and starts snuggling her head under her sister!
Hmm, so the most dominant hen gets snuggling rights? Are other hens allowed to snuggle?
All of my hens were incubator hatched and raised in my basement. Sadly, they never had a mama hen to snuggle up with for protection and warmth. They would try to get underneath each other, especially is frightened or startled.
I wonder if Thelma learned to snuggle by watching Bri Bri?
Funny how the big bad dominant hen seems to need the security of mama as she drifts off to sleep.
Bri Bri, you're such a big baby!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
