I never really connected how old chicken sayings came to be. Sure, I knew what they meant, but after experiencing chickens first hand, somehow, they are so much more understandable.
Fly the coop— to leave in a hurry. Oyster Cracker tries this every chance she gets! Yesterday, while I was collecting eggs, she came running at full speed and forced her large feathery body right out the top of the nesting box. Her freedom was short lived, but she did get a good amount of love before I returned her back behind the run.
Don’t count your eggs before they hatch—Don’t plan an for a certain outcome before it happens. After having hatched our own eggs I can completely relate. We started out with 9 eggs. 1 was infertile, 1 failed to progress much farther along than 1 week. Out of all of our chicks, 6 are completely healthy and thriving and one, Percy Peepers, is handicapped.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket—Don’t plan for an outcome before it occurs. Note to self , heed this when collecting our own eggs especially when young children are involved.
Hen pecked—Nagged. I sure have seen this, especially when one of the broody girls does not want to leave the box for another gal higher up on the pecking order to lay her eggs.
Pecking order—Finding your position. I have seen this a couple of times. Often the girls gently reassert their positions in the flock. I always see this as babies are growing from chicks into young chickens. It also happens whenever I introduce/reintroduce someone to the flock.
As scarce as hens teeth—rare. So far, I have yet to see one. Have you?
Rules the roost–The one who is in charge. Chocolate definitely thinks he is the king in his kingdom, while Tilly is our head hen.
Nest egg—Saving up money over time. It takes a while to develop a full clutch of eggs to sit upon. During that time, they eggs are treated with the utmost care. I also find it amazing that once the hen sets, she is patient and attentive to them.
Shake a tail feather—Get moving. After the girls come out of their dust bowls from their baths, they not only shake their tail feathers, they shake their entire bodies.
Empty nest syndrome–Sadness and loneliness after children leave the home. We just witnessed this with Dolly. She was so torn about leaving her babies. She was sad for about a week. Then she made her decision to join her old flock.
Chicken Scratch—poor handwriting. Let’s just say, I cannot even imagine what those girls would write if I gave them each a pencil!
Can you think of any other chicken sayings that you can now relate to?
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7 thoughts on “I’m Just Saying”
Hen Party – Festive Celebration
When all the girls start chattering and talking at the same time.
Also common at the work place, taking place near the water cooler, and usually includes more women than men. Lots of chatter, cackling and much a-do about nothing.
Good one!
Cute post! We are having a bad week in the hen house. This month is the one year birthday of my 12 hens, the first I have owned. They made it through a very long winter but what I have thought was a normal molt continued longer than I thought it should. I have asked others and finally my daughter came over and while standing outside watching them she noticed one was pecking at the others. My large black girl is almost 1/2 featherless. I feel so bad that I did not know what was going on. Hubs built a makeshift home for the bad girl, who has all of her feathers, and added a nesting box for her. I feel bad about isolating her but I read if you take away the bully for a while and put her back she will be at the bottom of the pecking order. I also got blue cote?, to spray on all of the other girls. What a sorry site they are. Not sure why this started because hubs built a really large hen house for them so they are not crowded at all. There was no open wounds, she is just pulling the feathers out. Do you have any other suggestions?
Oh Brenda, This is terrible news. I agree with separating the bully for now. When reintegrated, don't be surprised if she makes her way back to the top!
Make sure that they are all eating the layer pellets. Don't give them any treats or scratch. I would add poultry vitamins and electrolytes to the water as well. It could be a nutritional imbalance.
I've heard of a product called Hot Pick that you can spray on the birds. Also check out Pinless Peepers. Here is a link to a site that sells them.
http://www.eggcartons.com/Pinless-Peepers/productinfo/PINLESS-P/
Also, check out this link on BYC. I always go there first and post my questions in the community forum. I always get an answer within a couple of hours.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=145211
Please let me know how things go. Good Luck!
Thank you so much for all this info and such a quick answer too. I will check these sites out. I did not know about not giving them treats or scratch I thought that those things kept them busy. Is that so they just eat the layer rations for their health? Unfortunately it is at least a half hour drive to get anywhere for these supplies I may not add anything else until the first of the week. Thank you so much again for your advise. I should have thought to ask some of the wonderful bloggers that keep chickens earlier.
How about: "What came first, the chicken or the egg?" I just linked to this post in my post about eggs. Love your blog!
http://www.afeteforfood.com/2011/04/goose-egg.html
Thank you Jess!