King of the Chicken Yard
A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
It is very interesting to watch the relational dynamics of the chicken yard. I have a whole new understanding of the term “pecking order.”
There is a specific spot for each hen in the coop at night. When I move those who roost on the bee hives into the coop, there is a certain amount of clucking and squawking before everyone settles down.
The roosters have their own way of handling things.
On our farm, many of the roosters are separated by breed – the blue-laced red Wyandottes are in their own space, Richard the spastic frizzle has his own run and the Welsummer rooster is with his hens in another pen. Sometimes the boys will bow up against the chicken wire that separates them but they really can’t do any damage.
That leaves Kaboodle, the Polish crested, and Custard, the Croad Langston, in the main yard. Custard, you may remember, is named after the Ogden Nash poem, Custard the Cowardly Dragon. He has earned his name by running from even the small D’Uccle hen.
So Kaboodle doesn’t have to work hard to be the Alpha rooster. Just in case anyone doubts that, he has taken to jumping up on the fence and crowing.
He is very careful to return to his side of the fence. He may be King of the Chicken Yard but he knows the dachshunds rule the other side of the fence.
