Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[memphisto]

Hi all,

 

Dilys, my white Sussex is being a naughty girl this morning.

 

She has starting bounding up to one or more of the others, standing up really tall and just standing there like an intimidating bully but thats as far as it goes, she doesn't peck them or chase them, simply squares up them.

 

The others always back down and walk away from her, except one occasion where Willow pecked her chest then ran away like a rocket!

 

She's always been top hen and everyone seems to have accepted this and no-one is challenging her for top spot either, so I'm a bit miffed as to why she's started doing this, she even tried it with me when I was bending down to put the feeders back in the pen.

 

I've clapped at her when I've seen her do it and she skulks off on her own but she's soon joined by the others, who aren't actively trying to avoid her, so I don't think they are actually too bothered about it.

 

We did think last week she was going to lay as she was squatting when we came near her and was sat down a lot but have searched the garden and her nest box and no egg. She was a little out of sorts yesterday too, tired and wanting to sit under the tree and going around with one eye closed but was eating and drinking normally and wanted to be cuddled in the afternoon as usual, (she now invites herself in to sit on one of our laps and has a 5 minute cuddle and stroke) and she was chortling away with my son in the afternoon, they were sat together at the bottom of the garden reading a comic

 

Just wondered if this was normal behaviour? She's about 25-26 weeks now.

[Poached Egg]

2 of our girls(a Barnevelder and a Orpington)have also recently started doing the same,they are a similar age to yours as well.

i find it quite comical to watch as long as they dont make any contact.

[daxigirl]

2 of the Awfuls were having handbags a couple of days running, seems to have stopped now. (They did a bit of beard pulling and belly kicking.) The others all seemed to avoid them, even Lisa-Marie and Paxo who are top bird and 2nd in command.

 

Lisa did eventually pull rank and flex her muscles one afternoon when they got a bit much and gave them both a couple of good pecks and a chase. All has settled down now as they have both started to lay.

 

They do like to crouch in front of me to try and trip me up, they're going to succeed on day soon.

[gongladosh]

Seen that before with my two big girls when they hit a similar age. They're establishing a pecking order but without pecking. One will probably back down and walk off eventually.

 

You'll typically see one chase the other, square up, then one of them will back down and they'll go about their business again...

[memphisto]

Now Penny and Bubbles are at it with each other this morning and Dilys is her usual self!

[pips_pekins]

Seen that before with my two big girls when they hit a similar age. They're establishing a pecking order but without pecking. One will probably back down and walk off eventually.

 

You'll typically see one chase the other, square up, then one of them will back down and they'll go about their business again...

 

I had this this morning when I let them out and it was still a bit dark. The little TNN was very grumpy. The frizzle Pekin decided to square up to her and this posturing continued for about 5 minutes. All is fine now. Just think she is not a morning chicken