What did my hen and rooster do this morning?

ackie

previously jwehl // dogs & cats & squirrels oh my!
Nov 3, 2020
5,169
16,034
586
Atlanta GA
I was doing some chicken watching this morning.

One of Foghorn's ladies was over by the front of the house by herself and made some noises and Foghorn ran over and mounted her and then another hen made similar noises and he ran over to her, realized she was in a pen and came back to the first lady and then the group of ladies.

A little bit later, maybe 10-15 minutes, one of Foghorn's ladies was by herself in the same general area as the first one - I assumed it was a different hen but in hindsight I cant be positive - so I was watching her doing what I would describe as searching for a nesting site. She wasn't foraging, and she kept going over the same areas multiple times. So I posted up somewhere cozy and just watched.

Eventually Foghorn came over with the rest of his ladies, but this one was clearly still searching and went between the garage door and a table that was leaned against it multiple times. Eventually she stayed behind it for awhile and Foghorn stood in front of the spot and then went back there with her, came out, and went back in. And he stayed in there with her awhile - I couldn't see either of them.

20210122_102508.jpg
20210122_102636.jpg


I figured she was laying an egg and he was guarding the entrance, but him going back there confused me a lot... and now I've checked and THERE ISNT AN EGG. Now I have absolutely no idea what they were doing.
 
They may have been looking for a potential nesting site. Often roosters will try to help them out finding one, and some will guard the hen. Sounds like you have a good rooster.
It just looked so funny seeing him squeeze into a small spot like that. He's old so he's definitely had time to mature and learn how to be a gentleman.

I was really hoping she would lead me to where the other hen had laid.
 
Well, you know the answer to that ;)
'Train' them by confining.
I did confine my girls that sleep in the pens to train them. i just feel bad locking up the ones that sleep in the trees. :oops:
 
My rooster is always in the girls' business. He's checking out nest boxes, inspects dust bathing holes stepping in the middle of disputes. The hens are like, whatever dude. Unfortunately, he's so submissive to his ladies that they pull out his neck feathers, so he had to go live in a separate pen with better behaved ladies. They don't mind he's in touch with his feminine side and gladly share the nest box with him.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom