Tweety Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 The last few times I have cleaned out the bantams' Eglu and put fresh Hemcore in the nesting box, my frizzled Pekin boy Alex has reacted very strangely. He hangs about waiting til I have finished, then races inside and sits in the nest box chattering away to the girls. He shuffles around until he has made a lovely hollow for the girls to sit in when laying, getting very excited and calling to them all the time as if he has found food for them. The girls are totally nonplussed by the whole thing, and give him the look they give him when he attempts to have his evil way with them! It is really very sweet, and I just wondered if it is typical behaviour? He is probably about one year old now, but has only started doing this recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 My boy used to do this big time; I think it was partly the ability to have a massive dust bath in fresh aubiose and partly to tell the girls he'd made this lovely new house for them and wasn't he clever and would they like to come in and lay an egg in this nice clean and warm hollow thus perpetuating his genes whilst he sat next to them PS I hatched some chicks a while ago, and last week the cockeral went to visit the growers pen which includes his only son. The teenager is now copying Dad by a)crowing b)doing the wing dance and c) making lovely little noises just like him My cockeral has always been a super-softy, I'd take this behaviour as a good sign about your boy too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted August 9, 2011 Author Share Posted August 9, 2011 That's really interesting Daphne. I too thought it was the sign of a gentleman - it's such a shame that my ungrateful girls don't show him any appreciation for his efforts! I have got a young cockerel too, though he's not related to Alex, so it will be fascinating to see if behaves in the same way for his girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 My Silkie cockerel did this recently and my OH called to me saying 'Ooo look, Dill is going to defeat nature and lay an egg". I swear Dill heard him because he gave a very haughty look and got back out trying to look as dignified as possible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 In the wild the jungle fowl cock birds check the nest before the hens lay to ensure there are no snakes in there apparently I guess this behaviour stems from that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 Gosh, those brave little jungle fowl boys. I think Alex would run a mile if he saw a snake, if his reaction to a pigeon is anything to go by! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
