Chicken Recluse

Here she hides in coop no longer used

Our oldest chicken came from a home where she was the only one for awhile until a rooster came along.  So she was used to being on her own.  Well, one year later and she's surrounded by 4 other Buff Orpingtons, 5 Astralorps and a few guineas.

She mainly hangs around the guineas, or off by herself, but never with the other chickens.  Sometimes she makes her way to the coop that she stayed in when she first arrived instead of foraging.  She is our oldest and was the first (sigh)...the only one that came to us as an adult.

  I was thinking of making her old coop more accessible so she could have more alone time.  I have no clue how old she is.  But I was told she was old when we got her.

Her old coop

The Hand That Feeds You

They say that you don't bite the hand that feed you.  Well, you don't unless you're a goose, more specifically this goose, I mean gander.  This gander will eat from a tray in your hand and gain your trust.  He will act as though he can't quite reach enough food and then when you least expect it...Bam!  He goes for the hand.

Whether you are filling a food dish or water trough he edges his way up to get fingers.  So apparently he never heard this popular saying.  I'm glad there is only one of him.

Here he eyes my hands

Here is the Buff American gander which I speak of

Goose mauling

This a journey for me, and I'm learning new things every day.  Two days ago my normally slightly rowdy males were in attack mode.  I was walking to their feeding area to refill their watering trough.

One gander grabbed my pants leg with his beak and preceded to beat me with the edge of his wings.  I had no clue that could hurt...but it did. Another pinched my arm through my shirtsleeve leaving a good-sized bruise.  After prying my flesh and pantleg free I fenced myself off in their own for protection.

Inside the pen, the nest was guarded by a female goose.  She was sitting on the eggs where they normally left an open nest.  So I guess I now know the signs of a broody goose and gander. 😑

Guard geese

Okay, well I found out that geese are tougher than I thought.  I mean I knew they were tough but...
There was a stray dog that wandered into the property, a husky I think.

 So the geese began swaking and honking.  I came outside to see what the ruckus was all about.  The dog showed no fear of me and went about the edge of the property marking his territory.

He walked off into the woods.  So I warned the geese to stay put while I went to ensure he was gone.  A few ganders strod right by me and patrolled all the edges of woods in their typical fearless gander fashion.

When they were satisfied that it was safe they came back to report all was well.  And my mother said I needed a dog! 😕  I don't know if they realize they are a prey animal.

A Rooster is a Rooster

So I learned a little more about rooster life today.  I saw a cockerel mosey up to a young hen and preceded to do his little dance.
She seemed to be digging it and was leaning towards letting him mount.  Out of nowhere my head rooster flew in,knocked him off his legs, and mounted the hen.
Life is rough if you're not the head rooster.