A peculiar highlight of the order of chickens is the family of the Big Bogs, whose representatives are also called weed hens. Interest is riveted to them not only due to the unusual name, but also to their behavior and way of life. In our article we will describe this species and tell you how to raise chicks.
Who are the weed chickens
A distinctive feature of weed chicken is an unusual method of reproduction - it does not incubate eggs. After abandoning the incubation, the representatives of the species got involved in the continuation of the species by laying in the incubators, which they construct independently.
Important! If you suddenly decide to breed this exotic species in the nursery, it is important that the pairs of birds are in different rooms, otherwise there may be fights between them.An incubator is a hill of rubbish in which the earth, foliage and other organic matter are mixed. Its height can be more than 1 meter, and the diameter is several meters. Due to rotting debris, a rather high temperature is maintained in the mountain and moisture is present, therefore the eggs inside are kept in conditions optimal for them.
Briefly describe the representatives of this species as follows:
- individuals rather stocky;
- have a soft color;
- they have strong and high paws;
- some parts of the head do not have plumage;
- have a long tail;
- in appearance they look like turkeys;
- weight can range from 500 g to 2 kg.
Learn how to breed pheasants and peacocks at home.
Habitat
The natural habitat of the species is the southern hemisphere. Weedy hens are found in the area between the Nicobar Islands and the Philippines, affecting the southern part of Australia and live in the south-eastern part of Central Polynesia.
Did you know? Its name, "weed chickens", birds received due to the fact that they build an incubator for eggs from garbage and waste.Until puberty is reached, representatives of chickens differ in a single lifestyle, live in the forest. Most often they can be found on the ground, and only in rare cases, when they feel danger, can they take off low to reach the nearest bush and hide in it from the enemy. During breeding, the birds live in small groups.
Natural incubator
The task of the females of this species comes down solely to the clutch, the other duties are assumed by the male. The whole process includes the following steps:
- Even before embarking on a hatching, the male must prepare an incubator. For this, he gathers fallen leaves in a pile and forms a cradle for future babies.
- After the foliage starts to rot, the female should fulfill its role - she lays her eggs.
- After that, the female leaves the incubator, and the male remains to take care of the future offspring: controls that the eggs are always warm, sprinkles the leaves or makes her layer thinner during warming.
Important! In the hot season, the upper layer of the incubator should be made of sand, which will prevent overheating of the chicks.Thus, only their father is responsible for the lives of the little ones.
Rearing chicks
After the chicks are born, their mother does not pay attention to them at all. Taking care of the offspring is the task of the rooster. Having just hatched from an egg, the chickens do not immediately get out, and after 10-12 hours they begin to actively climb out to find their food. 
On the first day of life, the little ones are already moving independently, gathering food for themselves, and then come back to their nest, where the rooster is waiting for them. He helps his children to bury themselves in a pile for the night, and he is constantly near her, protecting the chicks until they become completely independent. At this time, the mother devotes herself to entertainment, rests and does not worry about her offspring, because it is under the protection of the male.
Check out such decorative breeds of chickens as: Araucana, Ayam Tsemani, Hamburg, Chinese Silk and Sebright.
Breeding chickens
This species today is not divorced by people, as there are great difficulties with its content. In addition, the number of eggs produced is small, and recouping the cost of breeding is quite difficult.
Did you know? Until about 30 eggs are laid in the incubator, the male will not let go of the female and will not start caring for the offspring.Weedy chickens are very interesting, fancy birds. Nowadays they are not bred at home, these birds are found only in the wild. These are amazing chickens that turn the standard picture of the family structure of such birds.
