Are chickens subject to bouts of madness based on the lunar cycle? As some of you may know, this past Saturday evening was 2012's supermoon, and all weekend our flock was nuts!
We had them out free ranging almost all of daylight hours on Saturday and Sunday, and they were like a whirlwind of crazy. On both days we had hens picking on each other who have never bothered with each other before. Our bottom of the pecking order girl even put the whoopin' on the head hen! Remy, our roo, did his best to break them up, but he had his work cut out for him. They didn't even want to stay in close proximity to each other and several times we had part of the flock on one side of the yard and the rest on the other....sometimes it was just one chicken all alone. Poor Remy was running all over checking on everyone, crowing and calling and trying to get them together. They'd just balk, flap at him, growl, and do whatever.
My DH and I had to break from what we were doing a few times because 1-2 chickens ran off onto our neighbors property. When I was bringing two back on Sunday, Remy came running and then tried to flog me; he did it three more times within the hour, too. He hasn't pulled any of that crap since the first three days we brought him home (he was fine again Sunday evening).
My DH and I were sitting out on the deck enjoying a glass of wine and conversation Saturday night. At exactly midnight, as the moon came out from behind the clouds, Remy CROWED. Three times. He has never once crowed in the night before, and no, there were no predators or anything disturbing them (we checked to make sure).
On Sunday our BA went broody and soon had our wellie in the nest box next to her (even though she already laid for the day). Plus, the BA kept growling, puffing up, and pecking the wellie just for being there. Shooshed the wellie out and she forgot about it, but the BA kept going back (found out she has bumblefoot, anyway, so she's in quarantine in the garage which should serve the double purpose of breaking the broodiness).
We'll have to see what's shakin' when I get home from work since they were all still sleeping when I left this morning. But sheesh, I sure hope they've settled!
We had them out free ranging almost all of daylight hours on Saturday and Sunday, and they were like a whirlwind of crazy. On both days we had hens picking on each other who have never bothered with each other before. Our bottom of the pecking order girl even put the whoopin' on the head hen! Remy, our roo, did his best to break them up, but he had his work cut out for him. They didn't even want to stay in close proximity to each other and several times we had part of the flock on one side of the yard and the rest on the other....sometimes it was just one chicken all alone. Poor Remy was running all over checking on everyone, crowing and calling and trying to get them together. They'd just balk, flap at him, growl, and do whatever.
My DH and I had to break from what we were doing a few times because 1-2 chickens ran off onto our neighbors property. When I was bringing two back on Sunday, Remy came running and then tried to flog me; he did it three more times within the hour, too. He hasn't pulled any of that crap since the first three days we brought him home (he was fine again Sunday evening).
My DH and I were sitting out on the deck enjoying a glass of wine and conversation Saturday night. At exactly midnight, as the moon came out from behind the clouds, Remy CROWED. Three times. He has never once crowed in the night before, and no, there were no predators or anything disturbing them (we checked to make sure).
On Sunday our BA went broody and soon had our wellie in the nest box next to her (even though she already laid for the day). Plus, the BA kept growling, puffing up, and pecking the wellie just for being there. Shooshed the wellie out and she forgot about it, but the BA kept going back (found out she has bumblefoot, anyway, so she's in quarantine in the garage which should serve the double purpose of breaking the broodiness).
We'll have to see what's shakin' when I get home from work since they were all still sleeping when I left this morning. But sheesh, I sure hope they've settled!
