At eleven days the chickens all use the entire cage. I can't figure out what the signal is, but once in a while, a dozen or more will congregate at the water as though they just remembered it was there. Once sated, the pullets break into small groups or pairs to sit comfortably. The males relax too, often lying on one side and stretching the upward leg and foot as far as possible. Do they experience growing pains? The males' rest is often interrupted though. If a male stands up, another is quick to meet him head on, even bumping the breast of the male that dared suggest superiority by standing over the others.
Sadly, most of this display is lost on the pullets. They show no interest in the males. Maybe they don't want to encourage the behavior--or maybe it is fitting for the female to remain coy, detached from the strife among her many suitors.
Hey there... Karl and Tabitha invited me over yesterday. We've been blog-friends for a few years. I wanted to say that the wheel design on your tractors is pure genius! I hope you will consider it a compliment that I intend to do similar with some donors in the scrap heap.
ReplyDeleteI liked your observations on the chick behavior. I've always seen drastic differences between my brooder-raised chicks and broody-hen-raised chicks... the latter being vastly better at foraging.
Ron