flock
107 stories filed under flock on Alektorophobia. The newest of them: “Our gentle rooster Marto has crowed his last good morning”, “Flocks vs Hawks: How to Free Range Without the Fowl Play”, and “Tiny Cheep Heard Round the Workshop: The Flock Keeps a Feathery Vigil”. This morning was disturbingly quiet, and I felt that ache right along with the community. Ah, the eternal chicken mom dilemma: happy hens versus hawk hors d'oeuvres. Chickens. Everything there is to know about chickens and the fear of them. The list below is every flock story on Alektorophobia, newest first.
Our gentle rooster Marto has crowed his last good morning
This morning was disturbingly quiet, and I felt that ache right along with the community. Marto, the rooster who became a beloved feathered friend, passed away yesterday, and his human is devastated. He wasn't the most confident guy, but he was good to his girls and the ducks, and that's what made him a true protector. I love that his person snuck him extra food when he was unpopular, turning a simple act into "their thing." That's the kind of bond that makes this chicken-keeping life so egg-citing and so hard. His crow song will be missed, but those ridiculous videos? Priceless. For more heartwarming flock moments, check out our piece on six fluffy chicks hatching, it's cluck-tastic. Rest easy, Marto.
Flocks vs Hawks: How to Free Range Without the Fowl Play
Ah, the eternal chicken mom dilemma: happy hens versus hawk hors d'oeuvres. You've got eleven girls who clearly think the grass is greener outside the run, and honestly, who can blame them? But with turkey vultures circling and coyotes lurking, letting them free range full-time feels less like a farm dream and more like a feathery horror movie. A rooster is a classic bodyguard option, sure, but he's not a magic bullet. He'll sound the alarm for hawks, but raccoons and coyotes? They might just laugh at his tiny feathery tuxedo. Before you go full Jurassic Park, remember that predator-proofing is a game of inches. It's a cluck-ton of trial and error, but your girls' joy is worth the fowl play.
Tiny Cheep Heard Round the Workshop: The Flock Keeps a Feathery Vigil
You can't exactly sneak a tiny peep past a flock with hearing that sharp. The moment Canary's chick let out that barely-there cheep from her crate, the whole crew perked up like it was a dinner bell. Honestly, they've turned the workshop deck into a full-blown maternity ward waiting room, complete with pacing and soft, concerned clucks. It's equal parts adorable and slightly unhinged, which, let's be real, is exactly how we like our feathered friends. They're not just curious; they're invested. And honestly, who can blame them? New life is egg-citing, even if you have to press your ear to the wood to hear it.
Why Random Roosters Keep Clucking at Your Door for a Coop
It's hard out here for a rooster with a social calendar. When you see a random rooster strutting up to your door like he owns the place, you have to wonder: is rooster abandonment just a common practice now? It sure seems that way. The number of folks posting surprise yard visitors is cluck-tastic in the most chaotic sense. And when it's happening enough that you're eyeing a third coop as a bachelor pad, you know the trend is real. It's a fowl situation, honestly. We get it, and we feel for you. For more feathered friend drama, check out our piece on "Chickens Got Her Good!" because let's just say, we've all been there.
When a Hen Loses Her Best Feathered Friends, the Heart Clucks Heavy
Well, here's a first for the coop: a genuinely heartbroken hen. Your blue copper Maran lost her two best feathered friends, and now she's moping around like she forgot how to chicken. It's a real kick to the shins when you realize these girls have feelings deeper than a pecking order. I've seen my fair share of fowl play, but a grieving hen is a new kind of quiet that's hard to watch. You're smart to rule out bullying or sickness, so trust your gut that this is a heart issue, not a health one. She needs time, maybe a little extra scratch and some company from the rest of the flock.
Can Nonbroody Hens Still Be Clucky Foster Moms?
Ah, the eternal question that's ruffled more than a few feathers: will your non-broody hens step up and play auntie to a batch of fluffy newcomers? It's the chicken version of asking a cat to look after puppies, possible, but expect some hissy fits. The short answer? Don't count on it. Non-broody hens are typically too busy scratching, pecking, and living their best free-range lives to play substitute mom. They're not mean about it, mind you, they're just not interested in the whole "raising the kids" gig. That maternal switch usually flips only in broody girls, the ones who've gone full hawk-eyed, chest-puffed, "don't you dare touch my eggs" mode.
Flock expansion panic: can you add hens before they start laying
Well, look at you, ready to double down on the pecking order! I love that you started with four because you were worried about biting off more than you could chew, but now you're feeling the pull of two more fluffy butts in the yard. That's the spirit! Honestly, the timing is a bit of a fowl play situation. At 12 weeks, your current ladies are in that awkward teenage phase, and adding youngsters now means a lot of "who's the boss" posturing, but it's totally doable. It's usually easier to integrate them *before* the laying hormones kick in, so you've got a small window of opportunity to make it work without a full-blown mutiny.
Mr. Respectful Rooster Turns into a Broody Hen Chaser
Well, isn't that just the pecking order polka? Your rooster's little chase after your broody hen sounds more like a "welcome back to the flock" than fowl play. It's actually pretty egg-citing that he's giving her the business now that she's rejoined the free-roaming crew. I mean, three months of peace and then this? Classic chicken drama. It's great to hear she's injury-free and that you're on top of her health. Honestly, it sounds like you've read the situation perfectly; a little re-establishing of the social ladder is normal. And hey, congrats on that first fertilized egg! Seeing those veins is a cluck-tastic milestone.
Our Chunky Mystery Hen: Loud, Speckled, and Absolutely Cluck-tastic
There's something wonderfully ridiculous about a hen who's convinced she's a rooster, especially when she's absolutely terrible at the job. This chunky, speckled girl sounds like a real character, all volume and no guard duty, and I can't blame anyone for wanting a proper rooster to take over the heavy lifting. It's a classic fowl mix-up, and honestly, it's the kind of feathery chaos that makes backyard flocks so endearing. If you're hunting for a bird with the size and grit to match her personality, you're on the right track. For more feathered fun and misadventures, check out our piece on "Chickens Got Her Good! A Backyard Poultry Adventure" for a few more clucks and giggles.