Friday 10th March 2017
Poultry Drama
No more lambs as yet but happy to say that Mrs W’s twins are doing really well – both very lively, drinking loads and beautifully inquisitive. We weighed them this morning and they came in at 3.2kg (boy) and 2.8 (girl), Not bad weights at all for 12 hour-old lambs!!
In other news, Jack had an interesting ‘altercation’ with Napoleon this evening. Earlier on Jack had had to ‘free’ him from behind the green lane gate over which he (and the others) had flown/jumped but from where now, he was struggling to do the reverse journey. Jack’s thanks for opening the gate so he could re-join the others was a pounding on the legs as Napoleon jumped up with feet outstretched (it’s how they attack, with claws perfectly positioned to strike!). He was very stressed - not that that is an excuse!
Back to this evening and at around dusk when Jack went back to check all the birds, he had another go but this time, after he had flung himself at her a couple of time, Grape came rushing over and fought him off! There then followed a vicious fight between turkey and duck which Jack managed to break up before putting Napoleon in the wood store to calm down.
So, what was all that about? Testosterone must play a part: we are at the start of the mating season for both species of birds and it is, after all, the ‘job’ of the male in the animal world to show who is top dog! But was Grape really defending Jack or was it just his own authority he wanted to assert?
Birds fights can be vicious. Grape’s technique was to grab hold of Napoleon's feathers and not let go as well as thrash his feet and wings around (and wings can hurt – a lot, duck wings are lightweight but carry a lot of force when flapped in anger). Napoleon used his feet and his beak, aiming with the latter for Grape’s head and neck! He also managed to trap one of Grape’s feet in his chest feathers and then proceeded to turn round and round in circles, forcing Grape to hop and so become very off balanced!!
If we had not intervened, one of the birds could have become quite seriously injured and we are not sure which one, as at times, each seemed to have the upper hand. This isn't ideal as it is actually best if one bird shows itself to be weaker and accepts defeat, because then of course, the fight ends!!!
And of course, if Napoleon continues to show aggression to Jack or indeed anyone else, he will have to go... (and by 'go' we don't mean a new home)!!
In other news, Jack had an interesting ‘altercation’ with Napoleon this evening. Earlier on Jack had had to ‘free’ him from behind the green lane gate over which he (and the others) had flown/jumped but from where now, he was struggling to do the reverse journey. Jack’s thanks for opening the gate so he could re-join the others was a pounding on the legs as Napoleon jumped up with feet outstretched (it’s how they attack, with claws perfectly positioned to strike!). He was very stressed - not that that is an excuse!
So, what was all that about? Testosterone must play a part: we are at the start of the mating season for both species of birds and it is, after all, the ‘job’ of the male in the animal world to show who is top dog! But was Grape really defending Jack or was it just his own authority he wanted to assert?
Birds fights can be vicious. Grape’s technique was to grab hold of Napoleon's feathers and not let go as well as thrash his feet and wings around (and wings can hurt – a lot, duck wings are lightweight but carry a lot of force when flapped in anger). Napoleon used his feet and his beak, aiming with the latter for Grape’s head and neck! He also managed to trap one of Grape’s feet in his chest feathers and then proceeded to turn round and round in circles, forcing Grape to hop and so become very off balanced!!
If we had not intervened, one of the birds could have become quite seriously injured and we are not sure which one, as at times, each seemed to have the upper hand. This isn't ideal as it is actually best if one bird shows itself to be weaker and accepts defeat, because then of course, the fight ends!!!
And of course, if Napoleon continues to show aggression to Jack or indeed anyone else, he will have to go... (and by 'go' we don't mean a new home)!!