How My Sweetheart Spunky Chicken Survives Trouble ... 2 Ways

Believe it or not, the more you learn about how chickens maintain social order, the more surprises that can connect chickens to our society. In fact, this poor chicken has two lessons to teach about being spunky in times of trouble not to self aggrandize and stay defined and purposeful for survival.

First, chickens have an authoritarian basis where according to the pecking order each bird has a rank in the top-down hierarchy of the flock as a way to govern themselves by pecking their way to the top or maintaining status quo.

This pecking order is important because it determines which chickens are allowed first access to food, water, and best dust-bathing areas. The top chickens get the most comfortable nesting boxes and the best spots to roost for the night with less squabbling.

I have watched bigger, stronger chickens aggressively bully their way by pecking the others into submission with sharp pointed beaks and an alarmed sqwack by the affronted bird. Then they strut about, fluff their feathers, and cackle loudly while others keep their distance. Sometimes I wish I could shout out, “Be more democratic and fair” …but then they are just chickens.

An interesting gender dynamic is if roosters are added to the pecking order who are more aggressive in climbing the social order — some may think like people but perhaps less civilized. Roosters dominate and copulate almost non stop throughout the day. Chickens may suffer sore backs and missing tail feathers which can make them susceptible to host of health problems. This farm does not have a rooster.

So this is how this spunky little chicken came into the flock of about 4o chickens. This winter one morning when the grain feed was lower in the bin than usual the chickens swarmed towards the bin to eat. The smaller hen was overwhelmed and trampled to the ground in the feeding frenzy. I managed to quickly come to her rescue, putting her shocked body safely under the counter. In a few minutes she shook her head and stood up limping with new wounds. Most of her breast feathers had been pressed or pulled out along with some wing feathers. Many frazzled feathers with long straggling tail feathers, drooping and disfigured, became her new appearance.

As observations proved, she landed on the bottom of the pecking order. She waited to be the last to eat at the feed bin or drink water to avoid getting pecked. She was the last to get treats like apple slices if at all because others would peck her and steal her food.

Every morning she was the first to locate her nest to lay her daily egg before being bullied away. She liked to sit by the window for sunny warmth until pecked sharply away. She enjoyed fluffing her feathers in a healthy dust bath until rudely displaced. Others huddled together, but she slept by her self in the corner.

But she perseveres. She limps around getting her food and water and finds a solitary dust bowl to bathe. She contributes by laying her eggs. She is bullied constantly, squawks and skeeters away with a unique turn and skip step…the pointed beak is painful.

I watch for her every time and marvel even without rights she keeps her courage doing the best she can. This is survival by the weakest, not strongest.

Therein, perhaps, she can teach a couple lessons in a human society beset with so many trials and tribulations.

How does one survive overcoming personal problems of prejudice, alienation, scarcity, aggression and fears of the unprotected?

Be resistant to culture of objectification.

She is not pretty anymore but her self-reliance and will to survive is remarkable to watch. Plucky is more important than lucky.There is no need for you to be a big fluffy top chicken catering to belong but find sustenance and peace within your level.

Be determined to keep your place in line.

Sometimes life may have ways to pluck your sanity leaving you exposed angry, depressed and raw to the world. Can’t grow your feathers back but you have strong feet so move ahead. Only self will can remove you from an unpleasant or dangerous situation. Nurture your instinct to survive, even if poor or bullied, walk away with spunk in your step.

One last thing:

Interestingly, humans are also part of the pecking order. Hens tend to respect people as the default leader of the flock which is why my appearance immediately gathers them from all directions hoping for treats. Being fair, I always find the special chicken to hand feed her while scolding others who interfere. That’s why we’re considered intelligent with laws and rights for everybody, right?

A rooster, on the other hand, will challenge the pecking order and defend his rights if he feels threatened by anyone. An aggressive rooster can fly and peck even dangerously and must be controlled to end his dominance. Sometimes a stew pot may be the best solution.

Tomorrow I’ll see my little spunky chicken and perhaps you can understand why she is my sweetheart that I honor the most.

Annemarie Berukoff

PS: I feel compelled to say that chickens with their simple-minded maintenance of an orderly society, like any other species, have never wantonly destroyed their kind. That murderous savagery seems a human trait that describes the human race…as international laws cannot stop the planned annihilation of innocent people.