What's one fact about poultry that SHOCKED you?

[Aapomp831]

I read that when the chick is developing, it develops in the egg with one eye pressed against the shell (the black blob you see when candling), which becomes the nearsighted eye... the one used for foraging. The other eye is farsighted and used for scanning the sky and across the fields for danger. That’s why they tilt their heads in different directions while doing one or the other. Thought that was incredibly awesome!

 

[DukesDucks]

What shocked me most what the bizarre things I learned about ducks reproductive systems. Corkscrewed shaped penis, female tract has dead ends, and she can control which sperm is successful. Also how violent their mating can be.

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

The reason they do this is because their trying to assert dominance over the other chicken involved. As much as it is a nice idea, chickens don’t actually feel that kind of love for each other.

Ducks on the other hand.....

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

I was shocked the first time I saw one of my ducks steal a mouse from my cat. It wasn't the last time. On that subject, I never thought that a duck could (or would) swallow a mouse or large frog whole.

Also, I see that styrofoam has been mentioned in regards to chickens. Ducks adore styrofoam as much as chickens!

 

[The Moonshiner]

I've got muscovies.
Once I had a little Cochin hatch 5 or 6 chicks. She came parading through with them lined up behind her. Two muscovy hens darted over and quickly ate all the chicks.
Never expected that.

 

[DukesDucks]

I saw one of my ducks catch a garter snake. As soon as the rest of the flock realized, the chase was one.

 

[topochico225]

The fact that they really are tiny dinosaurs. My friend once had a family of rats under her plastic Rubbermaid shed. Biiiiiiiiiig nest of little pink, wrinkly babies. While one of her kids ran for the BB gun, the chickens swooped in and

on all those little babies. Not a single piece of crime scene evidence left.

 

[Isadora]

When I was a kid I went to the hen house to check on the broodies that were sitting on their eggs that were ready to be hatched any day. When I got there I witnessed the mama hens eating the babies as they hatched out! It was horrifying and I cried.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

I read that when the chick is developing, it develops in the egg with one eye pressed against the shell (the black blob you see when candling), which becomes the nearsighted eye... the one used for foraging. The other eye is farsighted and used for scanning the sky and across the fields for danger. That’s why they tilt their heads in different directions while doing one or the other. Thought that was incredibly awesome!

I didn't know that! That is so cool, thats why my birds stare up at me with the side of their head when I look at them from the upstairs window

 

[PippinTheChicken]

The fact that they really are tiny dinosaurs. My friend once had a family of rats under her plastic Rubbermaid shed. Biiiiiiiiiig nest of little pink, wrinkly babies. While one of her kids ran for the BB gun, the chickens swooped in and

on all those little babies. Not a single piece of crime scene evidence left.

My older, scary-looking hen walks like dinos do in the movies!