Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

Henry likes this patch of grass. It's on my plot behind the fruit bushes. I left it wild last year and am doing the same this year, but without the brambles and nettles! He makes his way in the, sits like he's going to dustbath and burbles away to himself for five minutes or so then gets up and carries on as normal. It's not quite what I'm used to but is this Henry suggesting a nest site to his hens, If it is two of his hens look distinctly unimpressed.

I've watched a lot of chicken couples go nest hunting together, the routine is pretty standard and involves head nodding, scratch a hollow, sitting in the nest and wiggling. Henry doesn't even do much in the way of wiggling let alone anything else. If he's trying to get a hen to nest there he's not talking their language. He's done similar in the old small coop once when I had cleaned and treated it for mites. He just walked into a corner, sat down and started burbling.:confused:

Suppose it's just plain pleasure for Henry. He likes the tall grass and it's usually cool in there. He makes no attempt to scratch the grass out, instead he lies on it.

It's an interesting behaviour. Often one can work out what's going on from the reactions of the rest of the tribe more than by watching the actor. Blank faces all round on the part of the hens. I'm inclined to think this just something Henry finds pleasurable and has no correlation with what are described as instinctive actions.

Mainly dry but chilly at 6C.

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Henry likes this patch of grass. It's on my plot behind the fruit bushes. I left it wild last year and am doing the same this year, but without the brambles and nettles! He makes his way in the, sits like he's going to dustbath and burbles away to himself for five minutes or so then gets up and carries on as normal. It's not quite what I'm used to but is this Henry suggesting a nest site to his hens, If it is two of his hens look distinctly unimpressed.

I've watched a lot of chicken couples go nest hunting together, the routine is pretty standard and involves head nodding, scratch a hollow, sitting in the nest and wiggling. Henry doesn't even do much in the way of wiggling let alone anything else. If he's trying to get a hen to nest there he's not talking their language. He's done similar in the old small coop once when I had cleaned and treated it for mites. He just walked into a corner, sat down and started burbling.:confused:

Suppose it's just plain pleasure for Henry. He likes the tall grass and it's usually cool in there. He makes no attempt to scratch the grass out, instead he lies on it.

It's an interesting behaviour. Often one can work out what's going on from the reactions of the rest of the tribe more than by watching the actor. Blank faces all round on the part of the hens. I'm inclined to think this just something Henry finds pleasurable and has no correlation with what are described as instinctive actions.

Mainly dry but chilly at 6C.

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Ah. They mixed up their roosting positions!
 
burbles away to himself for five minutes or so
This reminds me I meant to compile a burble video.

When Unquestioned & Most Esteemed Head Hen Brahma Donna is about to lay, she turns into Most Cantankerous Head Hen. Scolding, running others out of the coop, etc. Stilton sometimes steps up as mediator, providing Donna with the Head-Hen-level egg-laying escort she deserves.

While Stilton serenaded and nested for over 20 minutes, Donna chased her friends, took a walk, had a bite to eat, and (as expected) settled into the only nest Stilton hadn't recommended. Stilton eventually purred himself to sleep in a nest box. The vocalizations are a hoot.

 
This reminds me I meant to compile a burble video.

When Unquestioned & Most Esteemed Head Hen Brahma Donna is about to lay, she turns into Most Cantankerous Head Hen. Scolding, running others out of the coop, etc. Stilton sometimes steps up as mediator, providing Donna with the Head-Hen-level egg-laying escort she deserves.

While Stilton serenaded and nested for over 20 minutes, Donna chased her friends, took a walk, had a bite to eat, and (as expected) settled into the only nest Stilton hadn't recommended. Stilton eventually purred himself to sleep in a nest box. The vocalizations are a hoot.

Too funny!

I like how you have the feeder in a basin.
 

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