What is the Earliest or Funniest Thing You've Learned About Chickens in the Last 7 Years?

[seminolewind]

I knew zippo seven years ago. I've learned everything on BYC. I think that the first thing I learned about chickens was that you can get chicks in the mail.

 

[Kelsie2290]

House Chickens, the number of people that have House Chickens.

 

[chicksurreal]

Lol!

I think the funniest thing I've learned is how chickens, um, procreate. Roos don't have any unnecessary equipment and it takes about 3-5 seconds to get the job done. Of course, I've only been keeping chickens for about 6 months, so I'm sure there is much to learn...

 

[chicksurreal]

Oh, yes, btw, I've also learned everything I know about chickens on BYC (aside from the scant amount of personal experience I have in 6 months of owning chickens). So, Yay for BYC, it's the BEST!

 

[chicksurreal]

House Chickens, the number of people that have House Chickens.

The only experience I've had with house chickens is when one gets injured and needs special care. It takes dedication and an intense affection for chickens to let them live full time in your house!

The most major issue we've had was when poor Elvira got mostly scalped by an overly amorous cockerel. She was happy to stay in the house for a bit, but we knew she was ready to be back with her friends when she started pecking us when we tried to bring her in at night after free ranging with the flock. They can communicate! LOL!

 

[chicksurreal]

The FIRST thing I learned about chickens is that chicks can survive on their own yolk sack for a few days. That was just amazing to me at the time. We got our chicks in the mail and they all arrived alive and chirping. So cool!

 

[Jeff Mayfield]

The fact that chickens don't wander very far. I thought they might just leave like a cat or dog but no you can't even chase them out of my yard.

Free range tree roosting birds that lay eggs right in the basket I set up for them got to love these birds.

One of them decided to climb up to my upstairs deck walking past both my dogs and right in to the house today. After I chased her out and off the deck she came back with the rooster. As if she flew down there and said "Hey you got to see this follow me".

 

[Sherudy]

Raising chickens the last seven - eight months has been an eye opener for us! We've managed a Quail Oasis, (sanctuary for past four years) feeding hundreds of wild birds and quail that depend on us for food, water, shade and safety from predators like hawks and ferrel cats, (abandoned pets). We have raised pet quail for years that amaze us, as some -- no matter how much love and attention - remain as wild as outdoor quail that accidentally get inside our pens. We do have a few that have become completely domesticated, (a story onto it's own) and love for us to cuddled them; responding to their given names at all times, coming to us on call.
The comparison is incredible in intelligence! as the grown hens respond to their given names and react with great affection. Allowing us to pick them up to cuddle and sing to them, closing their eyes in a sleep like trance. Some as when we hold our beloved quail of many years. Incidentally we learned to communicate with quail along with our chickens!
What's funny about our hens is their loud outspoken quest for mealworms once a day at late afternoon by the clock. All six of them squat down for us to pet them or jump on us, in appreciation for those coveted worms to die for, ha,ha! It is simply remarkable at how well they respond to their given names. Ruthie, Rosy, Robin, Bonnie, Cindy and Henny-penny.
Our experience with quail and now chickens has led us to re-search in depth the comparison of intelligence twixt humans and the animal kingdom. We learn what "cognition science" reveals about the similarity of animal emotions and feelings with that of human beings! (remarkable) No longer valid, "bird brain" as a derogative!. By the way, we get six eggs a day! s -- Sherudy

 

[seminolewind]

The funniest thing. A good rooster warms up a nest and coaxes a new laying hen into it. Sometimes even staying in the nest with her. And after she lays he ba-gawks just like a hen to announce the egg.

 

[chicksurreal]

The funniest thing. A good rooster warms up a nest and coaxes a new laying hen into it. Sometimes even staying in the nest with her. And after she lays he ba-gawks just like a hen to announce the egg.

YES! It's the sweetest thing. Either that, or roos are egomaniacs who think that nothing can happen without them in attendance. Lol!