Hypercautious Chicken

So I decided to try something different today…

The Leghorns are all done with their protracted moult but we’re having, er, performance issues. I’ve spoken to them several times now about their overall objective of providing food for humans, and how that can be carried out in one of two ways but it’s really best for all concerned if we stick to egg-laying. So, you know … they should get back to egg laying.

So far my counseling sessions aren’t yielding the desired results. So I’m trying a different diet supplement, which comes in the form of a block about the size of a horse/cow mineral block. But when I cut away the plastic it turned out that the binding agent wasn’t all that and there was some spillage.

Of course the block is a new thing, and the ladies find new things absolutely horrifying. They really wanted back in the chickenhouse when I was done fooling around, but going back in meant crossing or at least coming near that horrific pile of spilled deliciousness that would obviously kill the first chicken to dare it. So we waited…

…until one brave soul took her life in her wing and dared to walk in, as far away from the horrifying pile of spilled seeds as possible…

And when she didn’t immediately die or burst into flame or anything of the sort, somebody else tried it. And took a peck…

…and not only didn’t die, but found it good. And then, inevitably, in order of boldness they clustered around the pile…

…and soon it will be gone.

And it won’t be long before somebody dares peck at the block. And I’m interested to learn how long it lasts after that – and whether a diet supplement will help them get their little egg factories into gear.