It is early afternoon. The hens have been let out of their pens to wander around the yard. The girls that live in the HenCam coop are rustling in the leaves under the bushes. They are scratching up bugs in the partially frozen lawn. Eggers has gone to the pond to take a drink of bracingly clear and cold water. 

Six hens live in the big barn. They are, what I call, the “bossy girls.” They don’t tolerate bantams. They are aggressive to newcomers. They don’t like to share their corn or their space. You would think that they would be good foragers, but no, they are too jealous of the hens in the smaller barn. They think that it must be better there. So, while the HenCam barn girls are out and about, the big barn hens go into the smaller yard. They take dust baths. Surely, the other hens’ dust is better! They go into the coop and drink their water. They look for bits of corn under the rabbit hutch. Even the corn is better!

Meanwhile, the HenCam barn hens do NOT go into the big girls’ barn. They know that the good stuff is to be found in the grass and under the trees. They are quite happy.

Partly, the differences in these two flocks are due to breed characteristics. Some hens are bossier. Some more willing to go further afield. Partly, flocks take on personalities. It is fascinating to observe their differences.

One thing is the same for both – when I shake a container of cracked corn and call, “here girls” they come running. It is easy to sort them into the two groups. They know where they live and they know who their friends are. 

Interesting isn’t it?