Pepper has always been fatter than the other girls. They all have the same diet and I try to give healthy treats of fruit and veg and mostly greens. I wondered if it was because she had pendulous crop when she was a few months old and her crop had perhaps stretched causing her to eat more to fill it up but my husband has another theory.
When it comes to food, Dotty is the greedy one and wolfs down treats while Pepper delicately pecks at them and Dotty is so fast she always gets the lions share of worms when I dig the run.
My husband says that just like people the phrase “eat less, move more” comes to mind. He pointed out that Dotty is always on the go. She is constantly running around, jumping up, scratching, pecking, digging, never still. Pepper spends a lot of time sitting. She greets me in the morning with the other girls, then goes for a sit down in one of her favourite spots. The same thing at lunch time when I take some fruit or veg for them, she pecks at whatever is on offer then goes for a sit down.
Dotty goes in the coop to lay her egg and shortly comes back out with the job done but Pepper can sit in there for an hour and sometimes doesn’t even get an egg laid.
Dotty is fast and slim and can jump from the ground to my shoulder whereas Pepper being heavier will only jump on my back when I am bent over. Peppers favourite spots for sitting are a hollowed dust bath near the bush, the space between the wooden block and the dividing chicken wire or the branch perch.
Pepper likes this spot between the wooden block and the wire divider
Close up of Pepper in one of her favourite spots
I think the block must make her feel secure.
Pepper on the branch
Dotty
I think this is why Dotty is slim and Pepper isn’t. Like people they have different personalities and Dotty is always rushing around whereas Pepper is chilled, she doesn’t rush herself if she doesn’t need to. Yet Pepper keeps her place as top hen, she has the respect of the flock. Maybe that’s why she doesn’t feel the need to rush herself.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
I love where she sits obviously because there is a barrier between her and threats .
The reason she is top chick I reckon is she is like a club bouncer and one shove from her and the others will go down the order of things .
Seriously though if yout think of cattle as an example farmers reckon the cows that are leaner have less fat and more meat as they are active.
I think you are absolutely right, you have it spot on!
Maybe she steals your lovely cakes on the sly 😉
What a fun idea but I am very strict and there will be no cakes for my girls! So pleased to have a comment from you on my blog Lisa x