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Chook-Sitting

7/25/2020

6 Comments

 
Picture
On our first day in our new home, a neighbor asked for help rounding up chooks, or chickens. Now, months later, I cultivated a closer acquaintance with those same three chooks when our neighbors went on holiday.
 
Keeping backyard chooks is popular in Australia, especially now with the coming of COVID-19. Although my neighbors have had their chooks for several years, many others rushed out to buy them in the early months of the pandemic, fearing shortages of supermarket eggs. Chickens were in short supply: one Tasmanian farm owner sold 100 to 200 chickens a day.
 
The hens I looked after greeted me daily with clucks, soft trills, and sounds that were almost like purring. They were easy to care for—a little feed, ample water, and occasional vegetable scraps—and they were happy. Mealworms were a special treat.
 
Freed from their coop, they foraged industriously in their enclosure. 
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​There was a definite rhythm they observed: dig, dig, peck. Repeat. Here are examples of Peggy’s technique.
Dig
Dig
Peck
To my surprise, each of these ladies had her own strong personality. I always wondered where the phrase “pecking order” came from, and now I have seen it in action. First used in 1921, the term originally described the hierarchy in a flock of birds. Later, the definition expanded to include human hierarchies, often in business. While the pecking order helps hens to know how they fit within the flock, sometimes finding their place can be painful, even violent.
 
Thankfully, these chooks mostly get along at feeding time, with no clear hierarchy.
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While Hazel, the largest and most adventurous, appears to be the leader, Peggy is the most irritable and likely to peck the other two. Gingernut, who is the most interested in people, is a follower. She never starts a fight but will defend herself. I knew where I stood in this hierarchy; all three felt free to peck my legs if I failed to produce the mealworms fast enough.
Hazel
Peggy
Gingernut
We all rubbed along pretty well. And I must have done something right—they rewarded me with fresh eggs near the end of my time with them.
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6 Comments
Diane
7/24/2020 05:15:35 pm

“Pecking order”, now I know. Thank you for another entertaining tidbit of Australian life.

Reply
Rose
7/24/2020 10:39:37 pm

Glad that you enjoyed the new chook adventure :)
Thanks as always for reading and commenting.

Reply
Ted
7/25/2020 07:05:41 am

I have heard that keeping chickens in the “Bay” area is the rage. I think I’ll stick with Koi in my pond.😇 Stay save.

Reply
Rose
7/25/2020 07:20:08 pm

Ted, you may have something there. :) I've always enjoyed seeing koi in a pond. Watching the fish is a very peaceful experience. The shifting colors under water and their constant movement are mesmerizing. Thanks for reading and commenting!

Reply
Maria
8/25/2020 07:24:55 am

My neighbor just built a pen and coop, and a few chickens for his daughters. I asked how the girls liked the "chooks"; he indicated one might like them a bit too much - likes to pick up the chicken and hug. I guess time will tell... thanks for sharing!

Reply
Rose
8/25/2020 04:21:26 pm

You're welcome, Maria. Thanks for reading and commenting! I am wishing the best for both the chicken and your neighbor's daughter. Hens sometimes have a messy way of expressing their displeasure about being picked up. :)

Reply



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    Rose Ciccarelli is an American writer and editor living in Canberra, Australia.

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