The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: ellied on July 28, 2011, 10:30:57 am
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OK I am absorbed watching my new chooks to the point of obsessive stalking ;) but I have noticed today in the rain they all have their tails drooping (fair enough it's damp!) but the RIR always carries hers drooping and the others are usually up when walking about on a dry day..
Is this a dominance thing and she's the lowest ranking? Would it be a moult/growth related feather problem that might change when she next moults and regrows the tail feathers? Are RIR's differently built at the back and that's natural carriage for her? She and the Black Rock have the darkest red combs so is it something egg related that she is changing and the BR may follow suit? Any other ideas?
I know it's sad but I am really interested in animal behaviour of all kinds, particularly in group environments so this is a whole new species to observe and I'm fascinated ::) ;)
They are also determinedly staying out of the coop although the rain was quite heavy for a while and is now damp and showery.. I can understand outside being more interesting but I am also still having to guide them in at night rather than them going in themselves so I'm just wondering if I should be making indoors more appealing too ??? I'm not putting water in cos I reckon it'll be tipped and I haven't wall fixings for feed/water in there, or maybe it's not dark enough but by 10pm I need my own bed so they have to go in and they're getting the hang of what I want on the basis of 3 nights experience ;D