MJ's little flock

[MaryJanet]

I have to ask; do roosters get all randy with their mums/daughters/sisters or is there an inherent gene thing where they know to spread the gene pool elsewhere? Or is that not a problem?

Such a good question.

 

[BY Bob]

I haven't seen Peggy pick at Ivy's feathers for nine days. However, if she finds a feather on the ground, eg a pigeon feather, she eats it but not as often as she used to, even though there are plenty of them lying around.

She seems happy and cheerful. She eats lots of proper food and she loves a lengthy drink at the dispenser.

Mary has started to defend her. Three times I've seen Mary intervene when Sandy is sitting on Peggy and pecking her, even though Peggy has bowed and said "You're the boss Aunty Sandy!" This is new behaviour from Mary and Sandy. Mary allows Sandy to dominate Peggy, but not excessively.

That is excellent alpha hen behavior. Daisy, the greatest hen ever, would do the same to Patsy when she got out of hand. Mary may wind up being less aggressive overall and more of a flock regulator now with more to keep an eye on.

 

[BY Bob]

I have to ask; do roosters get all randy with their mums/daughters/sisters or is there an inherent gene thing where they know to spread the gene pool elsewhere? Or is that not a problem?

Hens know when they are related to a rooster and will try not to mate with them. Should the rooster successfully mate with her, the hen can expel his seed should she wish to do so.

 

[MaryJanet]

Hens know when they are related to a rooster and will try not to mate with them. Should the rooster successfully mate with her, the hen can expel his seed should she wish to do so.

that's amazing.

 

[BY Bob]

that's amazing.

Hens choose which roosters get to fertilize their eggs. It's pretty cool.

 

[MaryJanet]

That is excellent alpha hen behavior. Daisy, the greatest hen ever, would do the same to Patsy when she got out of hand. Mary may wind up being less aggressive overall and more of a flock regulator now with more to keep an eye on.

I suppose some day Mary will lose her captaincy. I'm not looking forward to it. She's always been benevolent but assertive.

 

[MaryJanet]

Ivy has never been pecked by the hens. They can't get close enough.

 

[BY Bob]

I suppose some day Mary will lose her captaincy. I'm not looking forward to it. She's always been benevolent but assertive.

I've never seen a coup. I've only seen them lose their place by leaving us.

 

[MaryJanet]

Janet ceded to Mary but it was quite gentle on Mary's part. No pecking at all, merely a push every now and again to encourage better conduct. Janet was quite nasty for a while.

 

[MaryJanet]

Pullet update

All's well.

Ivy's tail grows longer every day.

All five chickens spend all day in the yard together, but without mingling. It's hens vs pullets unless they're too far apart to care, with the exception that Mary no longer dominates the pullets at all, Janet does her bit first thing in the morning, and Sandy is the peckasaurus who takes her job all too seriously, with Peggy her victim.

No eggs today, but that's normal after crushing heat.

The pullets know where to go for food, water, shelter, and roosting. I'm going to leave them all alone at roosting time whenever possible in the hope the pullets might think of roosting with the hens.