The release of the new black hens into the meleeof front garden life has been really interesting. They are not intimidated by Bill the dog, or by me, but the bantam babies (the cockerel nearest the camera being one) are fierce in their rejection of newcomers and take every opportunity to peck and subdue. The ducks don't seem to notice hens anyway except to chase them halfheartedly away from the food if they get there first and the big hens don't mind the new black hens at all. It's the bantams where all the issues about territory lie!
The young moorhen has continues to spend much of the early morning in the garden whether the poultry are out or not. I see her going about her business eating pellets or grain or
whatever she finds and not bothering about other birds or they about her. She is, however, very timid around me and with Bill, scooting off into the bushes if we even look out the window or go out the front door. I hope she'll begin to tame up so that in the spring if she produces babies we may get visited by the whole family.
No panic yet about bird flu this year - I wonder when it will start?
1 comment:
The media can't deal with mad cows and killer chickens at the same time, surely!
Suspect the bantam cockerels suffer from little man syndrome,- I had a housemaster like that once, who snapped at everyone all the time. I'm wondering about caste systems and pecking orders,- but not sensibly.
Bother this sermon!
Post a Comment