behavior
behavior on Alektorophobia: a running collection of 6 stories we have gathered and hand-picked because they are worth your time. Every post here touches on behavior in some way — the news, the analysis, the deep dives, and the occasional surprise find. Chickens. Everything there is to know about chickens and the fear of them. New stories are added to this page as we find them, so check back if you want to keep up with what is happening around behavior, or subscribe to the RSS feed to get them as soon as they are published. Browse the collection below, or head back to the homepage to see everything Alektorophobia is covering right now.

Skip settles the age old question, "Are Wyandottes noisy"?
## Are Wyandottes Noisy? Let Skip Settle the Debate! The age-old question has returned: just *how* noisy are Wyandottes? Skip’s here to deliver the unfiltered truth—what happened, when it happened, and exactly how it went down, even if you witnessed the spectacle yourself. A recent submission from /u/beepbopbippitybop2 details a ten-minute avian performance that left one hen, Midge, decidedly unimpressed, but ultimately resulted in a successful egg-laying session for all. Skip, initially concerned, thoroughly checked on the involved hen and confirmed she was perfectly fine—just a delightfully mischievous character. This lively discussion echoes similar observations about chicken quirks, like the surprisingly intelligent moments shared by many of our feathered friends, as noted in /u/MilesandTiles’ piece, "Chickens are such weird animals.
Chickens are such weird animals most of the time they’re dumb as rocks and then randomly they’ll do something remarkably intelligent
## The Chicken Paradox: Dumb or Brilliant? Let’s be honest: chickens can be wonderfully weird. Most of the time, they appear to be, well, as dense as a pile of feathers. But then, seemingly out of nowhere, they’ll exhibit moments of surprising intelligence – a clever escape, a strategic pecking order maneuver, or a bafflingly accurate assessment of the weather. It’s a constant source of amusement (and occasional bewilderment) for chicken keepers everywhere. This peculiar duality is what makes these feathered friends so captivating. As /u/MilesandTiles so aptly put it, it’s a delightful contradiction. For more reflections on the unique challenges and joys of chicken companionship, check out our recent piece, "RIP Marto, your crowing was missed this morning ❤️."

I Think He’s Plotting To Off Me
## Is He Plotting? A Chicken Stare-Down! Hold onto your hats, folks – it appears we have a case of the chicken side-eye! /u/tlp23rocks captured this *egg-cellent* moment, where Derrick clearly wasn't thrilled with having his picture taken (mean mugging, no less!). Don't worry, though; he's reportedly a "sweet boy" despite the intense gaze. 🤣 This little drama adds to the ever-entertaining world of backyard chickens, where surprises are always cluck-tastic. Speaking of surprises, you might find it fascinating to learn about the incredible hearing of Canary’s new chicks—they’ve practically turned the workshop into a maternity ward! Check out our article, "The flock investigates the tiny, barely audible...cheeps," for more on that. Welcome to the feathered chaos!

Ginger, the Great Door Blocker.
## Meet Ginger, the Great Door Blocker – She’s Got Standards! Let’s be honest, we’ve all encountered a chicken with a mind of their own. But Ginger? Ginger takes things to a whole new, *cluck-tastic* level. This intrepid hen has decided our user, /u/beepbopbippitybop2,’s doorway is prime real estate – regardless of the perfectly good perches available elsewhere. It's a situation many chicken keepers can relate to, and a testament to the wonderfully unpredictable nature of our feathered friends. Is she asserting dominance? Simply enjoying the view? Who knows! What *is* clear is that Ginger’s door-blocking antics are a source of both amusement and mild frustration. For more tales of unexpected chicken behavior, check out our recent article, "Any advice?

Dirt bath
## The Daily Dirt Bath Drama! Is your coop feeling a little…*under-dusted* today? We're experiencing a serious lack of dirt bath content, and frankly, our feathered friends are staging a protest! Cloud is clearly enjoying prime real estate outside the coop, leaving our pigeons and chickens decidedly unimpressed – sound on to hear their disgruntled clucking. It's a universal chicken truth: a good dirt bath is essential for happy, healthy birds. We're sending a shout-out to /u/Specific_Reserve7300 for reminding us of this vital ritual. Speaking of chicken routines, have you ever wondered *why* they do what they do? Check out our article, "Why she do that," for a deeper dive into chicken quirks and habits! Let's get those dirt baths flowing!

She so goofy 😭
Oh dear, Wendy sounds like a little whirlwind of feathered mischief! 😭 It's a common, albeit startling, experience for chicken keepers to find themselves on the receiving end of a peck or two – especially when a chicken decides playtime involves a bit of assertive attention. It sounds like you've discovered Wendy’s preferred method of engagement: a gentle nudge followed by a cuddle! This behavior often stems from a desire for attention or simply exploring the world with a beak. Dealing with assertive chickens can be a quirky challenge, and understanding their motivations is key. For more insight into chicken behavior, check out our article, "The Claw," which delves into the fascinating world of chicken feet and their surprising uses.