My Flock and Heavy Equipment

[3KillerBs]

It's astonishing how well my flock takes the presence of heavy equipment and strangers doing work.

Last fall when my house was being placed they would first hide from the strangers and the noise and then come out to do chicken stuff like usual.

Today we're having tree work done -- taking down a huge dead pine only it's own height from my fence. The chipper was right next to the pen and the little track thing with the claw was running back and forth.

Of course they all went and hid when the stuff arrived and started up, but no one panicked and after 15 minutes they came out and started foraging around just like a normal day despite all the chaos.

I know that some chickens are more chicken than others, but mine, at least, handle this kind of disturbance with remarkable aplomb.

 

[K0k0shka]

It certainly makes everybody's life easier when chickens adapt quickly. Mine are very noise-tolerant, too, probably from having been brooded in the house with young kids running around making noise, and then living on a busy street with lots of traffic and the usual city noise. They've had tree work done a few feet from the run, and construction and other stuff, and don't even hide at first or anything. One of my Barnevelders though, even if not afraid of the noise, really doesn't like it when the next door neighbors have loud backyard parties just a few feet from my run. She yells and screeches constantly until the party ends. Not the alarm call or being scared or anything - just her complaining screech, telling them just what she thinks about their lousy party

 

[ladybrasa]

I read (listened to on npr) recently that birds can recover their hearing that has been damaged by loud noises - the ear hairs regenerate- unlike us humans (and other mammals)!!

 

[HeatherKellyB]

My girls seemed to act less traumatized than the boys whenever sand is brought in with a backhoe loader. In their defense, the load is dropped near the coop, but the boys start freaking out whenever they hear it getting close. The roosters will run away while the girls just huddle up at a safe distance. The boys free range while the girls are in the coop/run and then they switch places to allow the girls to free range.

 

[svh]

I have heavy equipment frequently going to and fro around the chooks, as my friend and neighbor has no place to park his machines, so I let him leave some on my property.

The birds don't even bat an eye at the loud, intimidating commotion.

One awesome thing about letting him leave some equipment here is I am learning to operate, as he leaves the keys with starting/operating instructions, and his blessings, to use as I see fit !!!

 

[3KillerBs]

Last fall my California White took it upon herself to supervise the electrical crew as they ran the trencher and hooked up the power.

She perched up on the feeder shelter where she had a clear view.