When we feed the hens in the morning, they act like they are starving. We feed them everyday. They also can dig for bugs. As you approach, they will gather to one side. Some tend to get a little restless. They will stomp on the heads of others. Others will fly up, like they are going to take it all. I usually give them about 3 big scopes of layer crumble/cracked corn. They will fight over it. One thing that happens is a chicken acts like they have a broken leg. I will go in the run to check on them. They will slowly get up or just lay there. By the next day, that chicken will be dead. I just don't get it. Maybe there are too many in one run. Also, the other chickens could care less. They will walk right over them, even when they are alive.
One duo is a hen and a rooster. They have been together for around a year or so. If you ever decided to raise chickens, you only need roosters for one thing: Procreation. Hens will lay eggs without the assistance of a rooster. Only difference is that if you decided to incubate or you have a brooding chicken, a chick will form.
Brooding? Brooding is something that a hen will go through. Her motherly instinct to sit on an egg kicks in. They will shut down and sit on any egg that is near them. I do not think they even get up much. This will last for about 20 or so days. When our hen was brooding, she tried sitting on her own egg and that of another that was with her. I rushed over to the coop with the rooster and hen. Luckily, she had an egg. I placed that under her. Sure enough, it hatched. The other eggs were disregarded by the hen after no hatching.
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