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MJ's little flock

I am so rattled by today's wind. It was too much. I couldn't concentrate. It upset the hens too.
I've never met a chicken that likes strong winds. I used to think it was because they got blown about, but apparently the problem is they can't hear. We tend to think of chickens eyesight being of primary importance, but hearing may be as important as sight.
I think this in part because the a chickens binocular vision. 360 degree distance vision requires head and body movement for a chicken; hearing doesn't.
I'm certain there are body language only communications, some of which we have identified and many more that we haven't. None the less, chickens chat a lot in my experience and some sounds a chicken needs to hear, a roosters warning call for example which is quiet, the I'm senior to you move over when food is concerend. A junior hen intent on some bugs down a hole that doesn't hear the call of a senior hen arriving and move over is likely to get a peck to the head. The chat between a mother and her chicks; it's almost constant. I'm pretty sure that young chicks don't really know what mum looks like, I've seen a few chicks when there had been more than one broody out at a time happily run to a hen thats not related. It's mums voice they know and when the chicks are in trouble it's their voices that lets mum know. I've often wondered at what age a juvenile can identity mum by look alone.
Many of us change our appearence a lot. Some of us have found that if our appearance has been the same (having chicken chore cloths for example) for a long time and we suddenly change the chickens haven't been entirely confident in approaching us. It's out voices that usually restore confidence. I always talk to chickens (I have a call) before I get close.
Chickens have additional "hearing" from tiny receptors in their legs that pick up vibration. It would be interesting to know what the range of these receptors is.

At a talk I did I asked a few people to point to the ear of a chicken. Quite a few got it wrong.

So, these are a few of the reasons I believe chickens do not like strong winds.:D
 
Do you know how fast it was?
37kph, which is not much for Americans who are used to tornadoes, but it was a lot for me. The old house was rattling and dust got in my eyes and it kept going for too long. The chickens were blown off course and were staggering around the backyard.
 
How did you win your battle against the mice RC? Can they tunnel into your coop?
Generally no, they cannot tunnel in.
However, now I have the electric fence I leave the door open for most of every day when I am home so that the Princesses can enjoy their garden.
I have seen a mouse just calmly hop in through the open door!
I will restart trapping at night soon. As long as they don't settle in and get comfortable and raise children I am OK with the odd one visiting.
 

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