Ribh's D'Coopage

[Ribh]

Good evening folks I'm glad Suyin is doing better.

I'm so happy she's doing better

Thanks, folks.

 

[drstratton]

The rest of the flock is looking good.
Healthy.

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They are so beautiful, I love your frizzle!!! A happy & healthy flock is what we want! Hope Suyin is still improving!

 

[Ribh]

They are so beautiful, I love your frizzle!!! A happy & healthy flock is what we want! Hope Suyin is still improving!

Thank you. Suyin is doing well.

I am always amazed @ how different chicken personalities are ~ even amongst sisters. My Wyandottes are the sweetest chickens I've ever owned but @BY Bob & @WhoDatChick have had problems with theirs. My Campines are all mad but they are all mad in their own way. I can see Aoife being lead hen one day & my whole flock in chaos!

 

[drstratton]

Thank you. Suyin is doing well.

I am always amazed @ how different chicken personalities are ~ even amongst sisters. My Wyandottes are the sweetest chickens I've ever owned but @BY Bob & @WhoDatChick have had problems with theirs. My Campines are all mad but they are all mad in their own way. I can see Aoife being lead hen one day & my whole flock in chaos!

That's good news!

They really are all their own individuals! Your girls definitely keep you hopping...

I haven't really been able to figure out who my lead hen is, they have so much room to roam & when I'm giving out treats, it's every hen for themselves & the winner is whoever is fastest...seems to be a couple of them though...it's been much easier to figure out who's on the bottom tier!

 

[Ribh]

That's good news!

They really are all their own individuals! Your girls definitely keep you hopping...

I haven't really been able to figure out who my lead hen is, they have so much room to roam & when I'm giving out treats, it's every hen for themselves & the winner is whoever is fastest...seems to be a couple of them though...it's been much easier to figure out who's on the bottom tier!

@Shadrach will tell you the so called pecking order is much more fluid than most people believe. Mine is quite egalitarian. I know which girls like to throw their weight around but they are all middle order girls. My lead hen tends to be very laid back & stays well out of any scuffles.

 

[RoyalChick]

@Shadrach will tell you the so called pecking order is much more fluid than most people believe. Mine is quite egalitarian. I know which girls like to throw their weight around but they are all middle order girls. My lead hen tends to be very laid back & stays well out of any scuffles.

I have trouble figuring it out. My sense is Elizabeth may be top hen but I am basing that on one incident in the heat of summer when everyone was a bit grumpy and she lost her temper with Maggie (who is much larger) and jumped on her back and pecked her head.
Apart from that it all seems relatively chill except for Maggie going after the Little Princesses.

 

[drstratton]

@Shadrach will tell you the so called pecking order is much more fluid than most people believe. Mine is quite egalitarian. I know which girls like to throw their weight around but they are all middle order girls. My lead hen tends to be very laid back & stays well out of any scuffles.

That makes so much sense...I thought I knew who was in charge, but then realized I had no idea! I felt sorry for my Salmon Faverolles, I took her off of the nesting box so she would get some food & water...she's definitely on the bottom...she couldn't hardly eat or drink! I might have to block them out tomorrow to give her a chance to eat & drink unmolested!

 

[Ribh]

That makes so much sense...I thought I knew who was in charge, but then realized I had no idea! I felt sorry for my Salmon Faverolles, I took her off of the nesting box so she would get some food & water...she's definitely on the bottom...she couldn't hardly eat or drink! I might have to block them out tomorrow to give her a chance to eat & drink unmolested!

I find them rather like toddlers. I hand feed certain birds to ensure they aren't bullied off the food & water. This started when I only had 1 bantam & she was absolutely tiny & had all these big boofers to contend with. It has continued as I move my flock towards less dominant breeds because they are easily rebuffed but of course it is preferential treatment & all my insecures want to hone in on the special treatment too. It does give me an opportunity to check each bird daily so I guess there are benefits but it is a bear garden out there some afternoons.

 

[Ribh]

I have trouble figuring it out. My sense is Elizabeth may be top hen but I am basing that on one incident in the heat of summer when everyone was a bit grumpy and she lost her temper with Maggie (who is much larger) and jumped on her back and pecked her head.
Apart from that it all seems relatively chill except for Maggie going after the Little Princesses.

Your instinct is probably correct. The lead hen isn't always the bossiest. My bossy girls are all middle order girls. My Frizzle is one & she's a super klutz & too heavy for any of the escape antics so she tends to take out her frustrations on my smaller girls who can & do escape regularly! Suyin is plain mean to everybody because she would like to be an only child! Morrigu was a lead hen in another life but can't dominate my big girls so rounds up the Littlies. And yet Lavender will tuck my bantams under her like chicks in cold weather & all my girls have been hanging round the little coop to keep Suyin company when they are let out so despite everything they look out for each other.

 

[drstratton]

I find them rather like toddlers. I hand feed certain birds to ensure they aren't bullied off the food & water. This started when I only had 1 bantam & she was absolutely tiny & had all these big boofers to contend with. It has continued as I move my flock towards less dominant breeds because they are easily rebuffed but of course it is preferential treatment & all my insecures want to hone in on the special treatment too. It does give me an opportunity to check each bird daily so I guess there are benefits but it is a bear garden out there some afternoons.

I know what you mean...if I go in the pen or if they see me coming, I get the whole gang under my feet, it's hard not to step on them. I actually took a video of them following me today, I was outside the fence, I'll be posting it to my thread...I love my flock!