Chicken Drama

[farla]

So for the past several days, Fluffles has stopped hanging out at the door to the porch and the little flufflies have taken that spot. Also, she was making the sound for when she's thirsty and hoarse. (The water keeps freezing, so they end up going without it for periods) Today, Sir Whiny started crowing. This morning, when I went out to feed and water them, Fluffles was again off in another corner, so I picked her up and brought her to the door where the food and water was.

And she tried to flee, so I grabbed her and redirected her and after a second she started pecking madly at the food as Sir Whiny perked up and then started stalking forward.

So basically, Sir Whiny has successfully navigated chicken puberty and wants to be in charge now, so he's been driving her off just as she used to drive them off. In the middle of winter.

Chickens are one long ongoing SOCIETY UR DOIN IT RONG lesson.

Anyway, now Sir Whiny is glaring at me and refusing to eat anything out of my hand because I smacked him for trying to peck Fluffles. He didn't mind the dozens of time Fluffles got smacked for pecking him, but Sir Whiny deserves no smackings! Sir Whiny's position at the top of the pecking order is right and proper, dammit!

(In retrospect I should have seen this coming, as the dominant chicken in a flock is usually the rooster. But still, Sir Whiny, she's a hen! You're supposed to have sex with her, not drive her off.)

Comments

[charizamdc.livejournal.com]

Maybe he made the same mistake I did and he thinks he's a hen? You might catch him one of these days wearing his feathers in drag, incubating a stolen egg. The most important thing to do in this situation is not to judge.

[farla.livejournal.com]

All his behavior is (I think) based on his roosterness. They really act very different than hens do. Even when they're still on baby peepings they're already puffing up in rooster behavior.