Refugee Chickens

[Aunt Angus]

Well I've had a few short visits from them. I wonder if the golden one's feathers just got darker... It's still the same 7.

I saw them fly! It was crazy! The roosters usually come over first.. then the girls follow.. the 2 smallest golden ones stayed in the neighbors yard this time.

I threw some snacks over the rail and the 2 started running and then flapping and then woosh! they flew across the driveway.. I've never seen anything like that!

I've noticed the roosters have alot of white feathers right where the tail feathers come out. Why is that? In looking around the site at other roosters, I don't see that..

View attachment 1629165

Related to their breed, I'd think. Phoenixes have white saddle feathers. I'm sure there are others, or these could be mixes. They sure are pretty!

 

[aart]

Those aren't saddle feathers...forget what they're called, can be unwanted in show birds, or needs to be the right color.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Those aren't saddle feathers...forget what they're called, can be unwanted in show birds, or needs to be the right color.

See what I mean? I gotta stop talkin'!

Thanks for the correction!

 

[1cock2hens]

I dont know what the white poofy feathers at the base of the tail are called but it's very very very common in American gamefowl

 

[centrarchid]

Well I've had a few short visits from them. I wonder if the golden one's feathers just got darker... It's still the same 7.

I saw them fly! It was crazy! The roosters usually come over first.. then the girls follow.. the 2 smallest golden ones stayed in the neighbors yard this time.

I threw some snacks over the rail and the 2 started running and then flapping and then woosh! they flew across the driveway.. I've never seen anything like that!

I've noticed the roosters have alot of white feathers right where the tail feathers come out. Why is that? In looking around the site at other roosters, I don't see that..

View attachment 1629165

We call it cotton. The function of cotton is to make the males more visible when displaying to hens, especially when rooster is running at a hen he is trying mate with and she might have other ideas. Most consistent time to see the cotton in action is immediately after a dominant rooster / harem master comes of the roost. Generally he is first. He will then mate with each hen in turn as they come down from the roost after he runs at them all balled up looking dark except for the cotton patch. At that time he will gently peck each of his offspring in turn as well.

Below is a rooster using the cotton in a display to a hen in the background. Rooster is of a colormorph where the cotton is reddish-gray rather than white.

It may have another purpose in the ancestral Red Jungle Fowl where the cotton is highly visible while the birds are in flight. Video below is crap but you can almost make out cotton as rooster flies up hill.

 

[Aunt Angus]

We call it cotton. The function of cotton is to make the males more visible when displaying to hens, especially when rooster is running at a hen he is trying mate with and she might have other ideas. Most consistent time to see the cotton in action is immediately after a dominant rooster / harem master comes of the roost. Generally he is first. He will then mate with each hen in turn as they come down from the roost after he runs at them all balled up looking dark except for the cotton patch. At that time he will gently peck each of his offspring in turn as well.

Below is a rooster using the cotton in a display to a hen in the background. Rooster is of a colormorph where the cotton is reddish-gray rather than white.

It may have another purpose in the ancestral Red Jungle Fowl where the cotton is highly visible while the birds are in flight. Video below is crap but you can almost make out cotton as rooster flies up hill.

Awesome!!! Love this post!!!

Look at that boy, struttin' his stuff! I'm sure I'd be swooning were I a chicken!!!

 

[centrarchid]

Here is another video that I was trying find earlier. Ignore the narration please.

We will see if it riles up my little game fowl buddy.

 

[Pelzergirl]

So... it happened, I think. The pack came to visit - 1 rooster.. the next day a lone rooster came, limping, tail feathers way down. He's stayed close to the porch and slept in the tree last night.

When I got home today everyone was under the porch. they all came out, including the limping one. they seem to ignore him.

I'm so sad for him, but I don't want to interfere..

Husband sat in the yard next to him for a while... you can't get close, but he wanted to try.. no snacks would entice him closer..

I'm heartened to see him back with the group... I assume there was some fight... but also a chance that something else took a run at him.. or perhaps a bb gun.. I really don't know.

I'm near the breaking point emotionally.. I'm very close to a confrontation with the neighbor.. I feel like if I knew for sure he's just letting them roam and they aren't homeless I would feel better.

They are so pretty, and plump.. I can't imagine they are foraging that well on their own?

 

[centrarchid]

Show a picture of the damaged bird.

 

[1cock2hens]

If any kind of chicken can survive and thrive in that kind of situation it would be an american game, they have very good instincts when compared to your average backyard chicken. they probably prefer the free life as to being caged, I would