One might suspect that, by now, I would be a bit more attuned to the likelihood of an intended two-part post becoming three, but alas, here we are, yet again. I think that perhaps I initially figure that a topic won’t exceed two posts, until I actually begin writing, and then realize I have more to say than I originally thought.
We are still talking about chickens, and if you take issue with this, feel free to abandon this post now. For those of you who, like me, find chickens to be vastly misunderstood creatures, please continue reading. Again, this information comes from spca.bc.ca.
“7. Chickens bathe by covering themselves in dirt. While this may seem contradictory, dirt is essential to helping chickens stay clean! Chickens have an oil gland on their back that is used to spread oil over their feathers to make them waterproof. Over time, the oil goes stale, and chickens need to wash the old oil off through dust bathing. Dust bathing is when chickens crouch on the ground and spread dirt or another dusty material over their body. The stale oil sticks onto the particles of dirt and gets shaken off. Chickens can then spread fresh oil onto their feathers.
“8. Chickens have a pecking order. Chickens live in groups called flocks. Their social structure depends on a hierarchy called a pecking order, which is an order of dominance. All chickens know their place in this order, which helps to maintain a stable, cohesive group and reduce fighting.
“9. Hen’s ears tell you what colour eggs they lay. Ever wondered what causes the difference between brown and white eggs? It depends on the breed of the hen, but it’s not the colour of the feathers that tells you what colour the egg shell will be. It’s the colour of the hen’s earlobes! Generally, hens with red earlobes will lay brown eggs, and hens with white earlobes lay white eggs (with a few exceptions, of course). Although the colour of the eggs may differ, the nutritional content and flavour does not.
“10. Chickens are very intelligent animals. Studies have shown that chickens are self-aware and can distinguish themselves from others. They learn from one another, such as a chick learning from her mother which foods are good to eat. Chickens can also demonstrate complex problem-solving skills,” the web page explains.
If, after writing three posts about chickens, I still haven’t convinced you that chickens really are impressive animals, allow me to inform you that the one I had for a pet as a child was intelligent enough that I was able to teach it to perch on my handlebars while I rode my bicycle around the farm.
Photo by Zachariah Smith on Unsplash
ontheedgeofeverything 