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Hens in morning?

3K views 28 replies 18 participants last post by  Lookin4GoodLife 
#1 ·
Is this a thing? Something tried to get one of our hens yesterday. Well, seems it got our rooster instead. We think maybe he was trying to protect the hen. Poor thing wasn't hurt but she's definitely sticking close to the coop and the house. But the whole bunch seems sad and they keep making weird caps like they're trying to get Joe, the rooster, to come back. Do hens mourn? I think my uncle wants to get another rooster now to keep an eye on the girls. Any thoughts?
 
#8 ·
Our roo has run over to take on a fox that had grabbed one of the hens. He lost his tail feathers by the time I could get there but he and the hen made it. Mostly he watches the sky and sounds off when he thinks there is danger. The girls must know what he means because they come running to the barn or into a run-under when he hollers out.
 
#10 ·
and after he does all that HE gets eaten instead ?
I had all sorts of flocks. with roosters and without.
if there is no rooster , a hen will sound the alarm.
I have geese also, and they sound the alarm way
before the rooster is aware of anything.
all the birds respond to whomever is sounding the alarm..
my geese sound an alarm at an eagle that is just a speck in the sky.
my theory is , if you have a flock of say, 25 roosters,
and a resident fox,. if left to their own resources, the fox will have 25 meals.
 
#11 ·
and after he does all that HE gets eaten instead ?
I had all sorts of flocks. with roosters and without.
if there is no rooster , a hen will sound the alarm.
I have geese also, and they sound the alarm way
before the rooster is aware of anything.
all the birds respond to whomever is sounding the alarm..
my geese sound an alarm at an eagle that is just a speck in the sky.
my theory is , if you have a flock of say, 25 roosters,
and a resident fox,. if left to their own resources, the fox will have 25 meals.
Hey, you asked the question---How he protects the Flock of hens---some things he attacks, some things he does not stand a chance of protecting them from, but a lot of roosters will Die trying----if it be you or a fox or dog, etc---he might protect the flock by putting his self in the path of a fox that is after a meal---the fox gets his meal and the Flock of hens is good to go for another day---Maybe. Maybe the fox gets a hen and the rooster attacks the fox---puts his spurs in the right place and the Fox heads home with a meal but also with a couple of "stabs" or maybe a eye poked out---and he rather not have anymore of those attacks so it chooses to hunt food in another place??? A lot will Try To Protect the hens---if there is any way they can.
 
#17 ·
and after he does all that HE gets eaten instead ?
I had all sorts of flocks. with roosters and without.
if there is no rooster , a hen will sound the alarm.
I have geese also, and they sound the alarm way
before the rooster is aware of anything.
all the birds respond to whomever is sounding the alarm..
my geese sound an alarm at an eagle that is just a speck in the sky.
my theory is , if you have a flock of say, 25 roosters,
and a resident fox,. if left to their own resources, the fox will have 25 meals.
Had a friend couple towns over saw a red fox running towards his flock by the time he got the gun and ran out side the rooster took the red fox down and killed it.
 
#13 ·
They know something is different. Mourning...? maybe?

Right now your bigger concern should be how will you secure and protect them from this point forward. Attacker could have been coyote, fox, raccoon. Whatever it was, Alder is right , it will be back. We used to save (freeze) any carcasses left and then put them in the live trap to catch the predator. Check with your local DNR about disposal of said predator if you're lucky enough to catch it, most will tell you to not relocate but to kill them.
 
#14 ·
They know something is different. Mourning...? maybe?

Right now your bigger concern should be how will you secure and protect them from this point forward. Attacker could have been coyote, fox, raccoon. Whatever it was, Alder is right , it will be back. We used to save (freeze) any carcasses left and then put them in the live trap to catch the predator. Check with your local DNR about disposal of said predator if you're lucky enough to catch it, most will tell you to not relocate but to kill them.
Well, I think everyone is still thinking coyote. We haven't seen it yet if it is. I'm not sure we have foxes here but we might. I'm guessing if it's seen, it will meet its maker. The neighbors have all been given a head's up about it and are also on the look out now. We shall see. As far as mourning, maybe not that exactly but they know something is up... but at least they aren't trying to wander off.
 
#19 ·
With the right rooster, he might loose the battle, but the noise his ladies make from safer vantage points as he is locked in mortal combat may just get man with shotgun involved and win the war. Mine go for the eyes, and are very accurate. I have a hen, four pounds soaking wet. She was in a pen with chicks that a skunk made the mistake of entering. She beat him into a cowering mess in the corner. I told the guy that I got her from. Turns out her dad killed a possum. This in the dark, he was hitting sounds. Don't walk in in the dark if these birds are disturbed or you will lose blood. A possum only has so much blood. They might die with a fox or coyote, possibly from injuries from a hawk, but if the hens escape, and a missing rooster alerts me to a predator problem that I need to solve swiftly and decisively, then he accomplished his mission.
 
#21 ·
Our ladies def had a week of depression when a rooster went...less eggs and different, search like behavior...
And we lost our Roosters only to the pot...never a predator...
And according to newest since, they are pretty smart and social...so i would assume they miss each other when group changes by what ever reason...
 
#22 ·
Knowing something happened is not the same as mourning.

Less eggs is more likely due to less daylight and fall molting.

A chickens brain is tiny. There's nerve processing, instinct, and the will to live. There are no feelings or any thinking other than how/what to eat and getting to safety.
 
#29 ·
A chickens brain is tiny. There's nerve processing, instinct, and the will to live. There are no feelings or any thinking other than how/what to eat and getting to safety.
I agree with the side that says chickens have capabilities of intelligent thought. :) Mine do some pretty stupid things sometimes, but I do think there's some processing going on in there.
 
#23 ·
There is way more than you can realize going on in that tiny little brain. Some chickens don't seem to have much going on, but there are breeds that are quite cunning. Have seen some pretty intricate tricks trained to chickens, and the facial recognition capabilities are amazing. The studies show that they can memorize 100 different chicken faces. My own observations suggest that they can recognize human faces quite well, too. But displaying human emotions of grief is beyond them. Being aware that their flock is without a dominant cock bird and instinctively reacting to that uncertain flock status is well within their grasp though. Instincts dictate the vast majority of chicken reactions, but that by itself is a very complex bundle of information, with genetic influences located in small family lines, that interact in a multitude of ways. I have seen hens that wouldn't begin to lay in the spring without being exposed to a rooster. Some of them definitely have a preference in roosters. Turning off and on eggs for a multitude of reasons is definitely a possibility in some members of the species, so egg production could suffer in a laying flock for reasons outside of seasonal differences.
 
#26 ·
This is a fair statement but I don't think accurately represents the experience of these tasty animals. I admit they are somewhat simple compared to humans but just to cite one source:

Chickens perceive time intervals and can anticipate future events. Like many other animals, they demonstrate their cognitive complexity when placed in social situations requiring them to solve problems.

The birds are able to experience a range of complex negative and positive emotions, including fear, anticipation and anxiety. They make decisions based on what is best for them. They also possess a simple form of empathy called emotional contagion. Not only do individual chickens have distinct personalities, but mother hens also show a range of individual maternal personality traits which appear to affect the behavior of their chicks. The birds can deceive one another, and they watch and learn from each other.


Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170103091955.htm
Original Journal above link cites: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10071-016-1064-4
I love a good link source! Chickens are proving way smarter than I originally thought. They know which of us feeds them. Even the babies know that last night they went inside via a pet carrier that was being used to block a hole in their little coop...
 
#27 ·
My hens usually seem relieved as heck and definitely more peaceful when I pull the plug on the flock rooster (almost every spring after I get eggs for the incubator). No more bare backs, and for me, one less big mouth to feed. One of the dominant hens usually takes up guard duty, and all is well.
 
#28 ·
Just think how tiny an African Grey Parrots brain is. When worked with, they have the mentality/vocabulary of a 5 year old (and the temperment of a "terrible two" year old). They understand size difference, can follow directions and have a sense of humor.
So, I'd err on the side of some intelligence in hens. You could sure tell the difference in intelligence with some of my hens.
 
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