Guest Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 I noticed Mariana this morning picking up bits of straw and hemcore and turning her head round and depositing them on her back!!!??? Now Shalott is doing it too- what on earth are they up to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mez Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 Hello, Mine do that too when they are getting ready to lay an egg. They sometimes put it on their backs but most of the time they put bits either side of themselves. I guess maybe it is just some kind of nest building instinct ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 phew, I thought there might be something wrong- being ex-batts they didn't do it at first- thanks for that, so they're just being more chickeny, how wonderful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 I asked this question a few months ago, its nesting behaviour. When i peeked in the nesting box, mischief was putting shredded paper on her back. Gemma used to do that with wood chippings I have a theory, i think they do it to keep warmer so they can incubate eggs better Anyway i think its kind of cute! xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 they weren't in their nest boxes, they were just doing it as they wandered around the run- maybe they haven't quite got the hang of it yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairy&cake Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 mine do this before egg laying!dont worry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 mine do this before egg laying!dont worry ta x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 It's to do with nest building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 It's to do with nest building. it's very cute but I was concerned because i'm not used to being up close and personal with chooks and never knew they did this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 It's lovely isn't it? I saw Kath doing that this week - and wondered if just maybe she might be coming back into lay? The last egg I had from her was about 4 months ago! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 i caught mariana in a hole she'd dug for herself in the soil today, at first she was just sitting in it then she tried rolling over but couldn't because she'd forgotten she was in a hole! It really warms me cockles to see 'em being like real chooks! I was picking out poop from the coop (see, I said I was a poet ) and i got pestered to death and then when i tried to freshen their water i got mobbed again. You'd think they'd associate humans with pain after what they've been thru! 4 eggs today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 They really are trusting creatures, aren't they? Another Tennyson fan here too ...'I come from haunts of coot and hern, and make a sudden sally....' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 my favourite is 'The Lady of Shalott' and the version of it put to music by Loreena McKennit is so hauntingly beautiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 oh and trusting isn't in it! I was using a set of barbecue tools to scoop the poop because they have long handles and are ideal for getting into the corners of the coop...I gently pushed the nosey girls away with the end of the spatula tool and they wouldn't move. I could feel the resistance of them pushing back, I had to physically shove them (with my hands) out of the way in the end. You'd think they'd run a mile with a big silver spatula in their face! They are sooooo funny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina C Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 Poet - the rolling in a hole thing is a dustbath - wait until they all do it together, its hilarious. Then they don't just dig holes they dig craters. Mine free-range and they make a new dustbath every week. When my ex-batts started dustbathing I considered that they had completed the transformation into proper chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 There was a lovely picture somewheer of one of Kate A's ex-batttery girls dustbathing in a plant pot. It might be on her blog.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
