That is an interesting thought. Am I perceived as a hen or a rooster? I suspect the girls know the difference. Are roosters, like their human counterparts, more prone to risk taking behaviours? While the girls seem to know who John is they also know he's not their keeper & interact with him quite differently than they do with me. They will tolerate him for short periods. It makes me wonder how distressed they become if forced to change keepers.
I've got a question. If you pick up one of your hens; she needs to be of egg laying age, when you put her down does she shake herself as if adjusting her feathers?
I seem to have a double senior hen position in Tribe 2. The Tribe has in the past followed Bracket more, or less. Producing chicks I think gives a hen some extra status in the tribe. Nolia triple sat with Hinge and Bracket a while ago. This is Brackets third go at being mum.
Nolia is the eldest and it has seemed that the eldest hen is usually the most senior. There could be a number of reasons for this.
As the scraps between Nolia and Bracket and then Hinge showed, under the weather or not Nolia was not going to get bullied. This does seem to make Nolia the most senior but she isn't interested in bossing everyone around like Bracket is.
I watched Nolia having supper tonight. I put down three bowls, one with medicated feed for the chicks and two normal. Nolia fed a bit from all three and everyone backed away after a warning/identification call. At least one of Brackets chicks is female. I'm hoping two are but with those ridiculous hairdos it's difficult to say.
Day 10 ~ & integration is never just about chickens getting used to chickens for me. It is about a lot of other things as well, all of which make for the smooth running of the flock. Some of it is about routines. I need the new girls to learn when I bring their regular feed & how that set up works. They need to learn about treats. They need to know they are safe & I will make sure everyone gets a go @ the food & water, everyone gets some treats, the weak get protected from the strong & the funny big bird is ok to have around.
The new girls have been watching as the gate is opened in the morning & the big girls are let into the run. They have watched them being rounded up & dropped back over the fence ~ minimal fuss. Really all I have to do is toss a treat into the run & everyone is lining up to squat for me!
Our weather hasn't been great for sitting outside for long periods with the girls but whatever the weather I always sit with them for dinner. It is my way of keeping a weather eye on the flock even in difficult times. Today marked an important milestone. Lottie, who is dazzled by her elevated position, abandoned me to hog the small food tub I had placed in the coop for the more timid girls. Ha'penny was laying so I was free to just sit & watch. I was very still, very quiet & held the small tub I usually use for Lottie & Ha'penny a little away from me as the Big girls dominated the feed tubs. One by one all the new girls stuck their heads in that tub for varying periods, wattles & beards brushing my wrist. This is a new level of trust, so even though the bigger girls made everyone flighty they had a go & eventually came back. Latter I noticed a wyandotte [Alpia] & a Campine [Medh ~ I really need to sort out my spelling & stick to one version! ] came & stood in the shelter of my body the way a hen will seek protection from a rooster.
Slowly, slowly. I didn't win my big girls over in a day either but these small steps bode well for the future.
