Feathered Young Cannibals

My birds are less than a year old and have no elder hens to teach them things like table manners or proper decorum. I say hens because, face it, a male would teach them stupid poo tricks.

Due to predator threats I have started tempting my birds into the coop a few minutes before sunset. Usually I use Black Oil Sunflower Seed as the bait while calling "Chick! Chick! Chick!" from inside the coop. I close the people door to avoid being trampled. I throw seeds just inside the pop door so when they race up the chicken ladder they skid to a halt and concentrate on eating.

Today I had to dispose of some leftover home-cooked chicken (from the grocery store). I chopped it up into bite sized chunks and put it on a plate, nuked the plate, let it cool, and headed out with my bounty.

When I went into the coop I put the plate on the floor and started distributing BOSS and calling. They came running and started eating the seed. I made my escape while they were busy and closed the pop door.

From outside I watched them discover and eat the chicken. It was like the scene where Bill Cosby fed his children chocolate cake for breakfast. Such enthusiasm!

Some stole pieces to eat in private (on the floor of the coop). Others ate directly from the serving bowl. The rooster went for the biggest piece and tried to down it in one big gulp. No manners!

The rooster looked pretty worried when the chunk got halfway in and stopped. He managed to drop it, but genius that he is, he immediately tried again to swallow it whole. While I was wondering how to do a chicken Heimlich, he spat it out again and started pecking it apart.

The chicken meat was a big hit. It feels immoral to feed them their own kind, but I am probably going to do it again -- right after I learn how to do a Chicken Heimlich Maneuver.