Probably my favorite part of raising chickens is watching chickens raise chickens. Have you ever just sat and watched the interactions of these birds? Roosters are amazing. They take their job very seriously! Invariably a rooster will choose a few "favorite" hens. This rooster and his hens form a "family" of sorts. They stay together when free ranging and roosting. Upon "flying the coop" each morning, the rooster will set about finding food. When he has located what he's looking for, he will stand over it, pick it up, put it down and call for his hens to come and eat. He will do this until one or all join him. Normally the hens rush to see what he has found for them. Roosters will make sure the hens have first shot at the food even if that means that he gets very little. The rooster will also stay on guard, looking out for danger. If he spots anything that he senses is dangerous, he will then "alarm" his hens and the rest of the flock. They will all run for cover when this alarm starts. He will fight for his hens if need be. The Rooster is normally the last one on the roost. We have one or two roosters that we call "yard bosses" and they are the very last to go to roost. They make sure all the others of their roost are in before going to roost themselves.
In this protective environment, the hens are free to go about the business of being hens. Their main worry is laying eggs and hatching chicks. Hens decide when to get broody (in the mood to sit on a nest). A hen will find a place to lay her eggs that is hidden well and safe if she is not provided with a nest box. Several hens may lay in the same nest. Then when there are enough eggs or she is ready (which ever comes first), she will sit on any eggs in her nest. We have often given a broody hen some eggs from a different breed because she went broody with no eggs. She will brood for 21 days until the eggs are hatched, only leaving the nest for a few minutes a day to eat and drink. During these 21 days, she will "turn" the eggs and keep them at the perfect temperature and humidity level to insure that they hatch. All of this is done with her body. We have had numerous hens pluck the feathers from underneath their body so that they are in direct contact with the eggs. A broody hen is nothing to mess with! She will defend her eggs with everything in her. She first will offer up a loud warning accompanied by fanning her tail and wings to look menacing. If that doesn't work, she will not hesitate to peck! A broody hen will risk her health and well being to sit on her eggs. Her ferocity grows while hatching and caring for her young chicks. Shortly after hatching, she will lead the chicks out of the nest to find food and water. Their "mama" (and for many she is a surrogate) teaches them to scratch for food. She will search for food small enough for the chicks. Once she finds it, she picks it up, puts it down, and calls for the chicks. She will peck the ground near the food to show it to them. The chicks typically follow her around for 6-8 weeks. They then start becoming independent. Eventually, she stops being so protective and goes back to her normal life of laying more eggs. Once this happens, it's a signal that she has finished her job as their "mama".
Through all of this, the rooster cares for the hens and the chicks in most cases. We have seen roosters sit on chicks to keep them warm while the "mama" gets out and about. For a time, they are a family unit. They take this very seriously! If the rooster doesn't do as the hen thinks he should with the chicks, she will let him know as well. She doesn't let anybody mess with her babies - not even "daddy".
Over the years we have had Turkey Toms that would get the poults under their wings to keep them warm.
Our feathered friends are pretty amazing. It would be nice to see everyone care for their children in such a way as these birds do! We could learn a LOT from a chicken!
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