Meanwhile, Fran the Frizzle was having her own brand of fun by accosting Weedcat, who was snoozing in a sunbeam, yanking on his cape and comb, stepping on his head and generally being an obnoxious old lady.
Back at the tub, Burger joins CM and Linc, who are apparently going for a World Record in dustbath camping.
Little known fact: Your flockmates make great goodie/dirt sifters. And double as a handy table!
CM is ousted from her spot by Burger. Happiness is being covered in dirt, though.
CM avoids the Burger issue by jamming her head under Linc. IF I CAN'T SEE YOU YOU CAN'T SEE ME.
Surprisingly, this seems to work. Linc is puzzled, however.
...and once Burger leaves the Dustbath Twins have it to themselves again.
...until Weedcat decides that it's his turn. When the Head Roo goes dustbathing, it's always SRO.
CM and Linc wisely decide that they are done after all.
And Weedcat gets down to some serious dirt throwing.
More big hens stuff in. Good thing I bought the large size tub.
Zip demonstrates her dirt throwing technique.
...and she and Weeds have a little friendly dirt-throwing competition.
Crack climbs in and messes up the entire procedure by stuffing under Weedcat.
But gets it together pretty quick, becoming a beak rest for Zip..
Meanwhile there is a line forming at the tub.
Zip is falling into a dustbathing coma.
Bug continues in her quest to get a healthy fed-up rooster peck.
Eventually Bug bugs him enough and he rejoins the girls in the tub.
I just wonder why it is always the biggest girls who insist on all trying to cram into the tub with Weedcat at once.
The more crowded it is, the better they like it, silly chickens.
Wonderful photos VS! I have a question though, when the hens peck the rooster as above, is that to get attention, bonding behavior or just because they can?
ReplyDeleteIn this type of situation it's a bit of all three. This isn't aggressive pecking, it's more of a *poke poke* Does this bug you?/pay attention to me/weird way of showing bonding or affection thing. Also to be a bit of a mischievious butthead on the part of the hen. The roos will also allow the hens to segue from gently preening their head & neck feathers to allowing the hens to YANK out feathers, it's like they go into a henlove trance and don't realize how rough the hen is getting. Hence Weedcat's bare spot on his neck. Phoenix used to allow the girls to pull out his facial tufts. It has to do only with head & neck feathers with the feather plucking. Weirdos.
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