Comments on: On pecking order http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/2009/05/21/on-pecking-order/ This is a journal, of sorts, of an organic garden in SW Michigan. "Ut sementem feceris, ita metes: non semper erit aestas." Tue, 29 May 2012 17:42:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: El http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/2009/05/21/on-pecking-order/#comment-5864 Fri, 22 May 2009 13:23:11 +0000 http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/?p=2881#comment-5864 Tameson, oh yeah. Or certain work situations. Cackle cackle.

Sara, wow, your girl likes being top dog, eh? I know in certain situations like overcrowding they do get crabbier than in other situations. They’re amazingly like us in that way. But personally I think the pecking order has, well, order to it, you know? It’s been built up by these flocking birds for milennia for probably a good reason. It’s just hard to watch is all. “Why can’t you all just get along?”

Linda, exactamundo! I have often thought of naming some of the birds after the people they really resemble, but I have a feeling that wouldn’t be taken in the right way :)

Oh Blaitin I know exactly what you mean by wanting to watch them all day long. When we first got our birds our daughter was just over 2 and it was such a joy to watch THEM as they required little of me! The little girl required a lot more commitment. But watching them then, I could just feel the tension between my shoulder blades loosen, and frankly I hadn’t realized I was so tightly wound at the time….

TOGE, poultry science! I dabble in that…

Jayme, hi and welcome! They’re so amazingly funny, I think. I adore them but then again I think all our birds, even the spazzy guineas, to be fascinating. Great good luck with your new flock. For what it’s worth, we hadn’t had the coop completed when they started laying!

Laurene, well, yeah, I abhor a bully too but it’s not true bullying. It’s more like a reminder of respect: each bird expects its due, you know? It certainly isn’t a constant thing or I wouldn’t be in the business of owning them as I wouldn’t be able to handle it.

]]> By: Laurene http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/2009/05/21/on-pecking-order/#comment-5863 Fri, 22 May 2009 05:24:23 +0000 http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/?p=2881#comment-5863 Kinda makes me sad to think how the pecking order continues on in so many of earth’s species. I detest bullies!

]]> By: Jayme http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/2009/05/21/on-pecking-order/#comment-5862 Fri, 22 May 2009 03:02:15 +0000 http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/?p=2881#comment-5862 Just found your website tonight. Love it! I’m raising chickens for the first time in 20 years again, and I have so much to learn!

]]> By: El http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/2009/05/21/on-pecking-order/#comment-5859 Thu, 21 May 2009 18:26:55 +0000 http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/?p=2881#comment-5859 TOGE: My only indication of who’s what is when they start bumping chests at each other. It would appear two of our bantams are male as that chest-bumping is exactly what they’re doing right now (and they’re only 4-5 weeks old at this point). I have also noticed that the combs of roosters come out sooner, and they tend to be skinnier and more wary but these are not two hard-and-fast rules. Yes indeed Cornish game hens are simply baby chickens, baby broiler chickens actually which is where the Cornish comes in (CornishX being the main breed of breast-heavy bird we all eat). They can be either sex. Considering we only wait another 4-5 weeks until Cornish game hens become broilers, it’s not like we’re eating terribly old birds anyway. More like teenagers!

But congrats on your broody birds! I have another week or so to go to see if our goose hatches out the 10 eggs she’s been dutifully sitting.

]]> By: The Old Gray Egg http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/2009/05/21/on-pecking-order/#comment-5858 Thu, 21 May 2009 18:16:56 +0000 http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/?p=2881#comment-5858 Do you have any tricks for identifying the young roosters? I had a friend in Poultry Science years ago tell me that all of those little “Cornish Game Hens” you buy in the store are just young chickens born the wrong sex in the egg industry. I love a good Cornish Game “Hen” slow roasted on a spit over an open fire.

I’ve got chickens sitting on eggs now. It won’t be long.

]]> By: Bláithín http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/2009/05/21/on-pecking-order/#comment-5857 Thu, 21 May 2009 18:01:09 +0000 http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/?p=2881#comment-5857 Beautiful little chickies you have there! The whole pecking order thing cracks me up. People and chickens are not too far separated from each other apparently. :-) I love watching mine do the “chicken dance” to determine who is top peep. So far I’ve concluded that “Loki”, an Ameraucana, seems to “rule the roost”. I’m not sure if Loki is a male or female, but I’m thinking maybe a little cockerel by the looks of the comb at this point (1.5 months). I could simply observe these guys all day long and get absolutely nothing done. They’re good for my soul.

]]> By: dayphoto http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/2009/05/21/on-pecking-order/#comment-5856 Thu, 21 May 2009 17:51:04 +0000 http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/?p=2881#comment-5856 Sounds alot like people every where.

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/

]]> By: Sara http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/2009/05/21/on-pecking-order/#comment-5855 Thu, 21 May 2009 17:02:11 +0000 http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/?p=2881#comment-5855 I have 5 half-grown chicks trying to mingle with a 4 YO “only bird” hen and it’s not going well. Despite their collectively larger size and numbers she is still beating them up :( So they are separated at the moment and I’ll try again when they’re older.

Silly me thought she’d be lonely on her own, but apparently she had it good with the food and coop all to herself!

Glad I’m not coordinating multiple groups like you, ha!

]]> By: Tameson O'Brien http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/2009/05/21/on-pecking-order/#comment-5854 Thu, 21 May 2009 16:34:27 +0000 http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/?p=2881#comment-5854 Sounds a lot like high school.

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