Very odd behaviour by The Bok Flock

I'm often totally bewildered by chook behaviour - or perhaps not chook behaviour overall, but the bizarre behaviour of my little bok flock.


If this is the last time I post, it will be because I've caught my death of cold because of the bok flock.


It is pelting with rain here today, the sort of rain that's like an ocean with holes in it. Where are the bok flock? Why, out in the midst of it of course! Bedraggled and huddling under a few very young saplings that don't provide any shelter whatsoever. Even whilst shaking my head at the contrary and seeming obtuseness of my chickens, silly old me went out into the rain trying to herd them inside their coop. Funny old girls running about trying their best to avoid the coop. I managed to scoop up Cloud Zen and pop her in, but the others just ran into the rain looking at me as if it was very rude of me to try to spoil their fun.  Can you see the lovely big deck they can shelter under if they don't want to go into their coop?  Do you think they'll go there?  Nope.

I then took Master Bok's little ikea table outside so at least they'd have something to shelter under (you'd think they would run and shelter under the trampoline or on the deck but nope they eschew such hardy structures preferring instead to show me how tough they really are) and put some treats under to lure them there - but again, I met with failure.  Meanwhile I'm drenched to the bone, in my second change of clothes, hair dripping wet and barely able to see because of the water streaming into my eyes and the fogging up of my glasses...

Can you see the entrance to their run/coop over there on the right?  It's not at all hard to get to and they all march in there at 7pm every night...it is a run which leads to a coop.  Although the run has a roof I put tarp over it anyway to stop rain getting in through the wire on the sides.

I think it's Astrid. I've caught the others looking at her as if to say 'come ON let's shelter already' but because she is their leader and seems to enjoy being soaked...they are resigned to the same fate. Sigh.  Perhaps they'll hold a revolt after this? 


Another fine example of odd chook behaviour:


Yesterday I tried to feed our chooks a few worms from our worm farm...to their absolute disgust! Their reaction to the worms was similar to the reaction I garnered when I tried to feed them snails (which they still can't stand).


This is Astrid the leader having a good look.  I've put a dandelion near the worm so you can see where it is.

This is Astrid turning away trying to clean her beak of the slime...

Astrid fully ran away squawking her disgust that I could try to feed her such a wriggly horrible creature...poor old worm.  Can you see her looking reproachfully at me?

 This is the same reaction from Sophie...the others pretty much just had a cursory glance at that point, said 'Ewwwwww!' in chook language when they saw the worm wriggle and ran away...

The worm ended up burrowing down into the lawn probably thanking its lucky stars.

Bok boks eh...they are such odd creatures.  I'm staring out at the teeming raining glumly watching my chooks get wetter and wetter - but still not seeking shelter in any of the right places! 

Here's what I've picked for lunch today:

At least I can keep these guys under shelter if they need it.  Sneeze.  Sniffle.  Cough.  Ugh...