The pecking order is the order of rank. Literally, the chicken at the top of the pecking order can peck everyone. The next top chicken can peck everyone except the top chicken. And, so on. The highest rank chicken gets to eat first. The lowest rank gets to eat whatever is left over.
Hens and roosters both have their own pecking orders. Big Mama is the top hen. Snowy is our top rooster. Even though they live together, each gender has their own ranking system. With the hens' pecking order, the top hen gets to establish who eats first, who sleeps where (to a point), who gets to lay their eggs in boxes, and which roosters are preferred for breeding with them. They, also, break up many fights. The roosters' pecking order establishes who is the strongest. This leads to an order for crowing and breeding. The top rooster gets to breed more with his choice of hens. And, he will get to decide if another rooster is allowed to breed with certain hens. Even the babies have a pecking order. Usually, the top baby is the strongest and biggest. They get to eat first and they get to go underneath their mama first. The lowest ranked baby gets to eat last and is usually the one that doesn't get to go completely under mama. It's not as strongly established as with the grown chickens, and their order changes a lot as they grow. When they are establishing a pecking order, there are fights. There's rarely any injuries as a result of these skirmishes. At most, there may be a few scratches. But, they heal quickly. If there is plenty of room and perches to get up on, the losing chicken can get away. This ends the fight, for the moment, and may permanently end it if the loser has learned their place. Introducing a new chicken to the flock is a bad idea if you introduce only one or two at a time. This results in bullying. If there are several new members at one time, they'll be less likely bullied because everyone is checking out all of the new members, not just one or two. The chickens that are bullied are more likely to be seriously injured, which may lead to their death. Also, if they're bullied, they may not get to eat or drink because the flock doesn't accept them, so they won't let the "stranger" take their resources. A pecking order is a good thing. It helps keep peace and it helps keep the flock healthy. Without a pecking order, there would be chaos. Everyone would try to eat at the same time, there would be constant fights, and the flock would be more likely to be attacked from predators because no one would be watching for them. But, since there is a pecking order, everyone has their place and the designated guard keeps an eye out for predators. It can be amusing to watch the pecking order happen. However, it may seem a bit mean, but it's really not.
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Perching is when chickens sit and balance on something off the ground. Chickens will perch on things like branches, pieces of wood, fences, and backs of chairs. They perch at night to stay safe from predators because they can't see in the dark. This is Whiny, Spock, and one of the golden-laced wyandottes perching at night. As you can see, they are balanced and sitting down with their toes covered by their feathers. Here, you can see Poser and the Bearded Lady covering their toes with their feathers. This is to keep their feet warm. If you look at the picture above, you will see Big Mama (at the far right) not covering her feet. The silver-laced wyandotte (at the far left) has her feet completely covered. Because the silver-laced wyandotte's feet are more covered by feathers, she will do better in cold weather than Big Mama would. Chickens covering their feet like this is a lot like us wearing socks--it keeps feet warm! Egg Muncher doesn't have her feet covered. This is because she has less fluff on her which prevents her from covering her feet at night. Leghorns typically don't do well in cold weather, partially because of this.
So, if you live in a colder climate, make sure you get fluffier chickens so their toes will stay nice and toasty warm at night. Good night, chickies! As chickens grow, their temperaments may change. Roosters are more likely to have their temperaments change as they get older.
When many roosters are young, they are kind and more docile. But, as they grow older, they may become more of a bully. This is important because roosters need this temperament to help protect their hens and babies. There is a major change when they are about one year old. Some breeds of roosters may not change their temperament. Some breeds are simply known for being more aggressive, like Leghorns. We had two leghorn roosters. When they reached a year of age, they started attacking us. When they were babies, they ate from our hands. This does not mean that they don't like you, it's just what some roosters do. They don't have a choice--it's all in their hormones and how they mature. Even some hens have a change in their temperament, also. These changes can be because of too many roosters, too few roosters, having babies, or illness. Orpingtons, hens and roosters, most likely will not have a major change of temperament. This breed, along with others like silkies and cochins, tend to remain docile into their old age. But, that doesn't mean that they will all remain super sweet. Lucy, our bantam cochin hen, for example, experienced a major change after she hatched out her last baby. She went from being very sweet to suddenly killing a new flock member. This is very unlike a cochin, but it can happen. This doesn't happen to all chickens. Many, like Goldie, Fluffy, Mottie, Big Mama, Poser, and Whiny haven't changed at all in their two and a half years with us (even if we do wish some would, like Whiny and her constant noise-making!). So, don't get discouraged if you come across a chicken who has a sudden change. It has nothing to do with you, but it's just chicken logic! Snape and Lilly are our newest birds. They are Black Sumatras. These are a critically endangered breed; that means that there are very few of them left. This is Snape and Lilly side-by-side. Their faces are black, or sometimes purple. This is rather unique to black sumatras. Lilly's tail is very large for a hen. Can you see how long Snape's tail is? This is Snape's face. He has extra skin under his beak. His earlobe and waddles are connected. His comb is bent and wavy. Chickens usually have one spur. But, sumatra roosters tend to have multiple spurs. Three is the ideal number. Snape has three, but one is fairly small. This picture does not show his true color very well. His black feathers have a beetle-green sheen to them.
His saddle feathers and tail feathers are very long. The tips of his tail feathers are wearing down and getting dirty because he drags them. It is impossible for him to keep them off the ground. These originated in Sumatra and Yemen and are very similar to their wild ancestors. The roosters tend to be fairly calm, but they can get territorial for a few months during their breeding season. The natives used to catch wild roosters to have them fight for shows. Then, after the breeding season was over, the roosters were released back into the wild. These are not fighting birds, but they have been bred into many breeds that are known for fighting. Some birds do better in different places. Not all chickens do well in cold weather. This has to do with the amount of fluff they have and how you care for them.
Fluff is down feathers. These are feathers that are underneath the outer feathers. The purpose of these feathers is to keep them warm. The more down a chicken has, the more likely it will be to do well in the cold. Chickens with lots of fluff may not do as well in hot places because they will be too warm. If your chicken doesn't have enough fluff on it, it will not be able to stay warm in very cold weather, so you will have to keep it somewhere warm. A secure coop, for example, will help. You may be tempted to use a heat lamp to keep them warm, but this is a bad idea! The lamp might start a fire!! Chickens with smaller combs and waddles do better in cold weather. This is because there is less skin exposed. Chickens with big combs and waddles, and sometimes earlobes, will be more likely to get frostbite. You can protect their exposed skin on freezing cold days and nights with petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly is flammable, but it does not freeze. Some chickens love running and playing in the snow. Some don't. So, when you feed them, be sure to remember the ones that don't go out and put food near the coop. You'll need to check their water to make sure it's not frozen. Just because it's cold out, doesn't mean they don't need water. Chickens do not eat snow, so they still need to drink. If you do not take care of your chickens, then be on the look out for birsicles. It's pretty easy to care for chickens in the cold weather, but you do have to do a few extra things just to be sure they're okay. Despite their name, they are not the mythical firebirds. Phoenixes are a docile chicken breed. They are lightweight, standard size chickens. The roosters will grow very long tails and saddle feathers (those right above the tails). Their tails can get up to 36 inches (3 feet) long; they get so long that they drag on the ground. Phoenixes are a threatened breed, meaning they are not very common. We named our pair Joker and Harley Quinn. Joker is a gentleman. He looks out for Harley, but he is gentle enough that he is in the same pen as our mama chickens, babies, and quail. Yet, despite all the little ones all around him, he doesn't mind them and he hasn't been aggressive towards anyone. They are both very quiet, too. We haven't heard Joker crow at all, even though he is an adult. In this picture, you can see Harley and Joker side-by-side. Eating with them are a chick and a quail. You can see part of mama in the back. She wouldn't let Joker and Harley near her babies if she thought they would harm them. "Ooh, look at the fluff on her!" Joker must have been thinking while looking at Mama. Here, you can see the difference in the colors on Joker and Harley. Joker will get more silver on him in the next few months, but he won't get much bigger. They are Silver Duckwing Phoenix chickens. Harley has silver on her neck, with pencil-thin black lines. The quail aren't always amused by the chickens, especially Joker. Phoenixes are show birds. If they're going to be in shows, the roosters need to be kept off the ground, or kept in extremely clean pens in order to keep their tails clean and in good shape. Dirt will actually wear away their tail and saddle feathers.
Our sister gave us a couple rabbits. They are babies and are only 5 weeks old. We named them Bugsy and Cuddles. Rabbits are herbivores. That means they eat fruits and vegetables. Some of the things Bugsy and Cuddles like to eat are: broccoli, apples, grasses, carrots, and pea pods. Their father is a dwarf rabbit (a very small one) and their mother is a giant rabbit (a very large one). Because of the different sizes of the parents, the babies inherited different size genes. Bugsy inherited more of the dwarf genes from their father and Cuddles inherited more of the giant genes from their mother. Their mother is white and their father is very dark grey. The babies inherited color genes from both parents. Here is a picture of Cuddles eating a piece of apple. Cuddles really likes apples. They will turn and twist their heads to nibble on different parts of their food. Look at the gigantic foot on Cuddles! The fur on the bottom of their foot helps to cushion their foot and protect it from ouchies and anything hot or cold. Bugsy wasn't very happy getting pictures taken. But, here is an ear! Bugsy and Cuddles have ears that stand up. Their ears are big so they can hear better. Bugsy's tail looks like pompom. It's mostly fluff!
As they grow, we will post more about them. In later entries, we will include information on caring for pet rabbits.
Stevie is an Eastern Mole. Eastern moles are the most widely spread mole in the world. Despite what people might think, moles do not eat roots or plants. Stevie is an insectivore--that means he eats bugs. On a rare occasion, a mole may eat a baby bird, but that doesn't happen very often. Even though a mole's mouth is full of sharp teeth, they can't open their mouths very far. Also, they can only see light and dark. Eastern moles typically live only 3 years in the wild, but some can live up to 6 years. Stevie is already full grown, but we don't really know how old he is. He was found by our chicken pen, and we saved him before a chicken could eat him!
Moles are no threat to chickens nor humans. In fact, they are quite beneficial! They eat the bugs that would harm our gardens. Moles eat 20-100% of their weight in bugs every day! Moles like wax worms, crickets, earthworms, flies, and larvae. If they're kept as pets, they can also eat ground beef, dog food, and cat food. They like foods with lots of protein! Their front feet kind of look like hands--they have 5 toes and are big and flat. These feet are at the sides of their heads to help them dig. They are very strong! Their back legs and feet are much smaller than the front ones, and are very weak. If you keep one as a pet, make sure to fill their home with lots of dirt. To feed them, you'd just drop in their food. Some bugs will start going underground and some will stay on the surface. Moles spend most of their time searching for food, so don't put it in a bowl! You do not need to give them much water. They get most of the water they need from the bugs they eat! This is a special blog entry. We normally won't do this, but we did this just for you! We want people to know and respect all kinds of animals, especially those that people have misconceptions about. We all want to know how to protect our cluckers. This is one of the most important steps to keeping chickens alive.
Chickens have many natural enemies: foxes, opossums, rats, hawks, eagles, snakes, raccoons, cats, dogs, etc. They are called "prey animals" because they get hunted a lot. To prevent your chickens from being eaten, you need to have protection for them. Every so often, you need to inspect their pen to make sure they can't get out or something can't get in. Chickens like to dig in the dirt, so you'll need to fill up any holes by the fence. Chickens dig by scratching the dirt with their feet. Sometimes, the babies will be able to get out through small holes. So, every so often, check for holes in the dirt. We like to fill ours with concrete because they can't dig through stone. If you live in an area with a lot of predators, you'll probably want an electric fence. This will provide extra protection from ground predators. Electric fences typically don't kill predators, but they give a hot shock that causes a predator to leave. Snakes probably won't be effected by an electric fence because they stay close to the ground and the electric fence wire is a few inches above the ground. The pen needs walls to protect the chickens from weather, like wind and rain. You'll also need a fence and, if you have flying predators, you'll want some sort of cover on top. The fence should not have large holes in it because chickens or babies can get out or stuck. The fence isn't just one giant piece, so when you put it up, you'll need to make sure you use some sort of zip ties or twine to tie the pieces together so there aren't gaps. Another important thing chickens need is a place for them to perch. They perch to stay safe from ground predators during the night. Chickens are blind in the dark so they can't see if a predator comes for them. By being on a perch, they're safe from the ground predators, like opossums, raccoons, and rats. Mice are a threat to chickens, not because they eat chickens, but because they eat the food and spread germs. You'll need to protect the food by not feeding the chickens at night and not storing the food in bags. If the food is kept in a bag, the mice will chew through the bag. Mice poop and pee is what spreads diseases, so you want to make sure none gets in the food. Roosters let out a roar when something startles them that they think might be a threat. But, that's not when you need to check on them! They have a different alarm for when predators are near. It's like "buck-buck-buck-BUCK-BUCK!" over and over. When you hear your roosters (or even dominant hens) make this sound, be sure to check on them. That alarm, if repeated over several times, means there's a threat near by--it could be at the fence or even inside the pen! Some hens like to "sing" when they lay eggs or just after laying an egg. This is not an alarm, but it is their way of bragging. Not all hens do this, though. To a new chicken owner, it may take a little time to tell the difference between this and an alarm. Keeping your chickens safe sounds complicated, but it's actually not. Just make sure their pen is secure and their food is protected. Nanners says, "Raising the chickens is fun! But, it can, also, be a challenge."
Mashers says, "You get to see how they grow, their personality changes as they grow, and their behaviours. Some might be grumpy, some might be sweet, some might just be lazy!" Chickens are so funny sometimes! They can run into each other when they get really active. Other times, they stick their heads into everything they think there might be food in (like a lizard, a bug, or their feed). It's so cute when the babies poke their heads out from underneath mama. Some of the adults aren't as fond of being touched, but they don't peck us. Instead, they will try to hide their faces underneath the chicken next to them. Sometimes, the chicks play with each other, like when one grabs a piece of food and runs around peeping so the others will chase them. Chickens are very smart birds! They can learn how to push doors open, get to high places, and hide eggs they want to sit on. They know how everyone looks, even people. They know which person feeds them good stuff, which person is too noisy for them, which person they can jump on, and which person they should run from. They know who each member of their flock is just by the way they look, even if several look the same to us. They know when someone from their flock goes missing, and they sometimes grieve if that individual is dead. It's funny to watch Big Mama keep the roosters in line. It doesn't matter how tough the rooster thinks he is, if he crosses the line, Big Mama will put him back in his place. She has a very dominant personality. Others, like Egg Muncher, are very timid and keep to themselves. Some of them, despite being huge, are just big babies, like Hugh, the huge, sweet baby. He's "Hugh-mungus!" "No matter what their attitude is, we still love them," Nanners said about his feathered friends. "I think it's cool how chickens have their own personality," said Mashers, matter-of-factly. |
Just two brothers
Nanners & Mashers are brothers who just want to share their birds with the world. Archives
April 2016
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