Friday, February 24, 2012

Even Chickens Have Personal Space

The flock mentality seems to be somewhere between the rogue and the hive.
Chickens will stand on each others feet, under each others tails and will crowd each other without mercy on the ground on the perch.
Much like middle school girls, they like the same spot night after night.  I hear them arguing about it before they go to sleep. Buck always roosts in the same place, farthest from the chicken door but closest to the human door because that way he doesn't have to reach over anyone to let me know what he thinks of whatever it is I'm trying to do to make life better for him while he's roosting. Next over is the Alpha Hen, who used to be Bette but has been supplanted by one of the newer girls.  The rest clump together rather further away from Buck, who takes liberties whenever possible so that there are a few hens who are going to be candidates for the chicken spa isolation and therapy treatment soon.
Sometimes I just don't get to maintaining things while they are out turning over every leaf on the property looking for, I hope, ticks.  It is a continual project to see that there is clean water for them.  The way they treat the water, you would think they like water with shit and feathers in it.  Same with food.  First thing Buck does when I drop treats is to go stand in the middle of them and then dance a bit.  Then he tries them out, lets the ladies know that there's something wonderful near his feet, and then jumps them while they are snacking.
In my own life, I find that crackers in the bed discourages this.

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Glad to hear from you, but criticisms will be ignored. It's the beauty of the web. I will answer all friendly remarks. Buck handles the rest.