Farmyard Family: No Chicken Left Behind

Living in the yard they became unlikely friends, chicken and goat standing together to save their chicken buddy. A goat saving a chicken? You wouldn’t expect that, but this yard family sticks together!

Life in the Farmyard

Farmyard life is hard work. There is always something to clean, something to fix, someone to feed, etc. It’s a never-ending cycle. However, it is a life that many enjoy. I have always dreamed of having a farm with loads of animals. 

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Animals Making Unlikely Friends

There are some animals that you would never expect to be friends with, or even to live peacefully amongst, each other. Sometimes things happen that no one would have imagined. Often when living amongst each other animals can become unlikely friends. A dog and a cat, a cat and a rat, a cow and a duck, there are some very funny stories around. 

Danger in the Yard

You may hear many stories about caracals, wolves, foxes, etc. coming into farms and stealing animals. This is a serious problem in some areas as they make a living, or live off their livestock. Understandably they do need to eat too, we take their food and so they take it back. However, it has become a major ‘pest’ problem.

The Calm Before the Storm

In this video, we see the farmyard animals peacefully going about their day. Being a farm animal must get pretty boring sometimes. We see a chicken having a relaxing time in the sun before its day is turned upside down.

Look Out Below!

The video then continues to show an eager hawk swooping down to pick up the poor, unsuspecting chicken. They tumble around the garden, neither planning on giving up. They crash into the fence, the ground, and each other. No doubt they will sleep well tonight!

Friends Stick Together

We see another chicken speed into the frame coming after his buddy. Feathers cover the ground. Snippets of chicken, hawk, chicken, hawk. The fight is becoming intense! 

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The Unlikely Hero

The next video shot introduces fighter number 3: the goat. The unlikely hero comes and fights off the hawk, successfully getting rid of him. The chicken, finally safe, runs into his house. No chicken left behind!

Different Species, One Team

How is it that these different species came together to save their buddy? After living on the farm the animals adapt and can become a ‘herd’. The goat saw the chicken as one of his own, hence running to his rescue. 

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Farm Animal Family

Some farm animals may seem strangely matched but the truth is, they don’t always see it that way. Growing up together they are a family and with this, they create their bond. Farm animal behavior differs from the wild animals, you would be much less likely to see a goat saving a chicken from a hawk in the wild. Within those fences, they are a family. 

Social Bonds Amongst Farm Animals 

The social bond of farm animals is highly adaptive. They come together as a herd/coop/flock to protect one another, feed, and raise their young. You may have seen those cute videos on social media of little chicks playing with dogs, or ducks and bunnies. They stand together as a farmyard community. 

Benefits of Having a Diverse Group of Farm Animals

You may see that some farms have only sheep, some only cows, and others a large array of different species. There are many benefits to having multiple species on your farm, they all have different diets which can help with pest control, and different animals have different nutrients in their manure which can help fertilize your plants. Having a diverse group of animals helps with the balance and sustainability of your farm.

Protecting Each Other On The Farm

Do you know the term ‘Guardian Angel’? Well, animals believe that too…kind of. Farmers often have a certain animal picked out specifically to protect their livestock. The most well-known ‘farm Guardian Angel’ would be the sheepdog, however, donkeys and llamas are also commonly used.

Adapting to Threats in the Yard

There are still threats within the fences and farm animals have adapted to protect themselves. Some animals pull together their herd, reducing the chance of 1 being drawn out. There is safety in numbers! Animals, such as chickens, have a certain sound that alerts everyone of danger, encouraging them to get in the coop and hide. Then there are the ones that are simply alert to their surroundings, horses being a perfect example. A slight change and they know to run. 

Farmyard Predators

The most common farmyard threats vary depending on the area, however the threat level doesn’t differ too much. Coyotes, foxes, wolves, and birds of prey are known to be the top predators threatening the farmyard. Interestingly, another common threat is the domestic dog as they are often known to chase the livestock if not trained properly. Maybe they just want to play!

Farmyard Family vs Predator

Farm livestock generally stick to their herds for safety. Some may keep watch whilst others graze or play. If one notices a threat, they alert the others, and protection mode is activated. The livestock predators generally hunt solo or in packs of two. They can only chase 1 meal at a time, therefore when the herd crowds together it is harder for the predator to isolate 1 member of the herd. Their stealth attack will often fail as the herd is notified of danger from one of their members on lookout duty. Imagine having to do so much planning and exercise for 1 snack!

Farm Animals: Fight or Flight

All animals have the fight or flight instinct and this is no different for farm animals. The way that they react may vary depending on the animal or the danger. Livestock such as sheep, cows, and goats tend to pull together into the herd. Chickens may fly about 5cm forward but then need to find a hiding spot. Other animals such as bulls, pigs, and geese decide that they are tough enough to fight anything and go head-on. 

How Can We Help?

If you’re anything like me, you believe that all animals are your babies, even if it’s a big bear! We can help protect farm animals from danger, we are their guardians. By putting up a fence, getting a guard animal, and creating safe, animal-friendly enclosures we can help our farm friends from having to face the enemy.

How Do We View Animal Behaviour

We humans aren’t that smart. We hear a dog barking and think ‘Why is he barking?’, however, we do not stop to consider why they are barking, or what their bark means. Humans look at animals without taking into consideration that they have a communication system of their own. We simply hear a noise or see an ear suddenly pointing up, however, we know that it is so much more than that and don’t stop to consider what it may be.

Farm Animal Communications and Signals

The rooster wakes you up in the morning, at the same time, every day. But why? Each animal has their form of communicating and by touching it the farmer/animal owner can become closer to the animals and understand their needs better. Yes, a cow goes ‘moo’, but “moo’s” has a different meaning depending on the pitch. It is more than a moo moo here and a moo moo there!

Behavioral Studies on Farm Animals 

Studies have shown that farm animals live in a way of social hierarchy. The most dominant is the boss, and gets the first pick of which trough they want to eat from today. My interest was piqued when I heard someone say that different species in the farmyard have found ways to communicate. They have evolved and adapted to the point that different species can understand when another says there is a threat. What’s next? A goat saving a chicken…?