Ribh's D'Coopage

[Ribh]

TRIBE OBSERVATIONS.​

The little lady in front is my Birchen Japanese bantam, Desdemona. She has always been one of the friendliest, easy to handle ladies. She has spent nearly all summer broody. Olivia & Chavi have given up but Desi is still @ it. As she is waxing plump & healthy I haven't worried about it too much. She comes of the nest first thing in the morning & last thing @ night to eat & drink & have a quick run round the yard.

This morning I put Sif out the door & waited with her while she oriented herself & took her first few careful steps. She gets steadier & more confident as she progresses towards the patio. Next thing Desi comes rushing out of the shed, gets in Sif's face, drops her outside wing & starts circling her with her hackles flaring! I think Sif was as gobsmacked as I was. Then Desi rushed off towards the breakfast trays.

There was no contact but I have never seen a hen do that before. Their dominance stance is usually stretched necks & chest bumps. Anyone?

 

[Ribh]

CATURDAY, CATURDAY.
It's Caturday; movement is optional.
Kirby hogging his favourite chair.​

Marlow meditating under the palms.

​

 

[LozzyR]

Happy Caturday!

 

[Ribh]

Happy Caturday!

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I love how your 2 snuggle together.

 

[LozzyR]

I love how your 2 snuggle together.

When he’s not biting her!

 

[micstrachan]

I'm coming back to comment on this because what I am seeing with my tribe is fascinating and related to this split off and "Birds of a Feather" concept.

For two weeks Betty and Phyllis lived together separated from the rest of the tribe. They roosted together although Phyllis was not kind to her at roosting time. Betty still eventually would wind up next to Phyllis on the roost.

Since they have all been joined together Betty has been roosting with the main tribe more and more often. It started out as an occasional night on the main roost. Then it was every other night. Now it is most nights. She has even roosted next to Aurora on the high roost. Last night she was snuggled next to Hattie.

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While Betty is frizzled she still "looks" more like Phyllis than the big girls yet she is choosing to hang out with the big girls at night. And they are not running her off like they do Phyllis.

At this point it has to be personalities right? This cannot just be about looks. Betty looks nothing like everyone else.

I believe it is more about personalities, at least in this case.

 

[micstrachan]

TRIBE OBSERVATIONS.​

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The little lady in front is my Birchen Japanese bantam, Desdemona. She has always been one of the friendliest, easy to handle ladies. She has spent nearly all summer broody. Olivia & Chavi have given up but Desi is still @ it. As she is waxing plump & healthy I haven't worried about it too much. She comes of the nest first thing in the morning & last thing @ night to eat & drink & have a quick run round the yard.

This morning I put Sif out the door & waited with her while she oriented herself & took her first few careful steps. She gets steadier & more confident as she progresses towards the patio. Next thing Desi comes rushing out of the shed, gets in Sif's face, drops her outside wing & starts circling her with her hackles flaring! I think Sif was as gobsmacked as I was. Then Desi rushed off towards the breakfast trays.

There was no contact but I have never seen a hen do that before. Their dominance stance is usually stretched necks & chest bumps. Anyone?

Sounds like she was herding to me.

 

[Ribh]

Sounds like she was herding to me.

Can you describe typical herding amongst your girls. I wouldn't have said it was herding but as I said, I've never seen this from a hen before & in all honesty it looked more like a rooster dance than anything else. It sure has confused me!

 

[micstrachan]

Can you describe typical herding amongst your girls. I wouldn't have said it was herding but as I said, I've never seen this from a hen before & in all honesty it looked more like a rooster dance than anything else. It sure has confused me!

Yes. A rooster dance IS herding, I believe. Both Bridge and Lucky do this in my flock, but it’s very, very subtle. And it’s ME they want to herd, even though I’m the “rooster.” I suspect things get discombobulated when there is no real rooster.

Anyway, both Bridge and Lucky will “drop a wing” to me. It looks more like a shoulder drop, and it’s the wing/shoulder on my side of their body.

Honestly, I think @Shadrach is going to be the best one to weigh in on this one. I’m almost certain one of his articles addresses this very behavior, except in roosters, if I remember correctly.

 

[Emma-Daisy]

CATURDAY, CATURDAY.
It's Caturday; movement is optional.
Kirby hogging his favourite chair.​

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Marlow meditating under the palms.
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Here's my two boys.