I was pondering the nature of the hen pecking that's been going on.
Whilst we've had two Bigees, we've always thought that Delilah was top chook. They actually always share things, they eat happily head to head, they don't squabble over corn, no one seems to be in charge, but we've thought that if there was a top chook, it was Delilah. She's a big bird, she seems more confident than Scarlett... it's really hard to articulate what I mean.
With the Littlees, there doesn't seem to be a top chook. They share things, they eat happily head to head, they don't squabble over corn.
In a pair, there doesn't need to be a pecking order, because they "know" which one of them is in charge.
When you have three or more hens, there is an Order. If you put new hens together, they have to squabble until the Order is established. Then everyone eats happily head to head, they "know" their places.
Delilah keeps chasing the Littlees, Scarlett does it only occasionally.
Now, If you were top chook, wouldn't you know you are top chook? Wouldn't the other birds realise it very quickly? Would you need to keep reminding them?
I would have thought that it would be Number 2 who would be more worried about losing their place in the Order. Wouldn't it be Number 2 who would keep on and on and on reminding the other birds?
So is Delilah really number 2?
Whilst we've had two Bigees, we've always thought that Delilah was top chook. They actually always share things, they eat happily head to head, they don't squabble over corn, no one seems to be in charge, but we've thought that if there was a top chook, it was Delilah. She's a big bird, she seems more confident than Scarlett... it's really hard to articulate what I mean.
With the Littlees, there doesn't seem to be a top chook. They share things, they eat happily head to head, they don't squabble over corn.
In a pair, there doesn't need to be a pecking order, because they "know" which one of them is in charge.
When you have three or more hens, there is an Order. If you put new hens together, they have to squabble until the Order is established. Then everyone eats happily head to head, they "know" their places.
Delilah keeps chasing the Littlees, Scarlett does it only occasionally.
Now, If you were top chook, wouldn't you know you are top chook? Wouldn't the other birds realise it very quickly? Would you need to keep reminding them?
I would have thought that it would be Number 2 who would be more worried about losing their place in the Order. Wouldn't it be Number 2 who would keep on and on and on reminding the other birds?
So is Delilah really number 2?
