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Category: Farm Doings | Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2014 7:29 pm

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Almost any seminar, convocation, or corporate meeting starts with a "Meet and Greet" with name tags, coffee and tea, and a short but nevertheless boring introduction by the organizer.

When we introduced our new dozen hens (known as the "daffy dozen" (because there isn't a brain among them) to the older but no wiser six hens established in their coop, we held a "meet and greet."
Believe me, attaching sticky name tags to a hen isn't easy! A "Hi, I'm Lucy" tag falls off feathers quickly, and none of the hens knew who the newcomers are, nor did they particularly care.

There's always a newcomer who feels she has to establish her presence and precedence. One of daffies decided since she was the leader of the pack of new hens, she'd just take over the whole flock. What a mistake! The "head of the pecking order" hen from the older group just stared her down, flapped her wings, and the question was settled. Newbie wasn't #1, but at best was #7.

The line at the coffee urn can get long during a "meet and greet" but in the coop, there is a definite waiting time before you get to the feeder. Big girls first, daffies next. Think of it as the "preferred customer" line at Starbucks, but with sharp beaks involved.

And about that boring introduction. We had the daffies in a separate coop for a month where they could see but not interact with the big girls, and vice versa. I was standing by with a fly swatter (for some reason chickens really hate fly swatters, and a wave or two of a swatter will break up an altercation really quickly) and talking quietly and encouragingly to both groups when the door between the coops was opened and they could mingle. Well, I could have saved my breath—nobody was interested in me, the fly swatter, or the cooing noises I made. They just looked at each other, determined where the feeder and waterer were, and proceeded to form a flock.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if humans could blend as easily?



This blog entry has been viewed 316 times

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Donna S wrote on Mon Mar 17, 2014 9:31 pm:

You make me want chickens.

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Cayuga Morning wrote on Tue Mar 18, 2014 1:07 am:

What a great blog! You make me want to have chickens too! I could just picture the two flocks eyeing one another, the "leader of the pack" of the new hens making unwarranted assumptions & being put in her place! Great story.

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eileen wrote on Tue Mar 18, 2014 1:15 am:

If we humans could be more like your big girls and daffies the world would be a far more peaceful place. Just as long as we don't have to grub for worms or eat grass clippings.LOL

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Frank wrote on Tue Mar 18, 2014 4:39 am:

"One of daffies decided since she was the leader of the pack of new hens, she’d just take over the whole flock."

This wasn't going to end well :)

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Netty wrote on Tue Mar 18, 2014 12:46 pm:

I love hearing your HEN stories! You almost have me convinced I need some. Almost.

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mart wrote on Tue Mar 18, 2014 8:37 pm:

LOL !! Still think you need to turn your blog into a book !! Best thing I have read in a while !!

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