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Sunday, November 13, 2016

Chickens of Maui
There appears to be a disproportionate number of roosters on Maui. This observation is most evident around three in the morning, but a quick walk or drive around any non-touristy area will quickly confirm it. As driving an electric car can be a little dull (unless it's a Tesla), I've come up with a few possible reasons for the disparity during my morning commute. [Note: I know nothing about raising chickens, have little knowledge of chicken biology, and in no way mean to imply that chickens are anything like humans.]


1) The hens are home keeping their eggs warm. Do hens really do this, or is it something they do when they're in a cage and there's nowhere else to sit? Is it even necessary on Maui? From watching them around the hospital, it looks like each hen lays her eggs in like 12 different holes...

2) Somebody is catching the females and keeping them for egg laying purposes. Certainly a possibility, but there are so many free roaming chickens and I know so few people that keep them that I doubt there would be much effect.

3) Hens are being killed at a higher rate in traffic accidents. Every morning I have to slow down or stop to avoid chickens. Almost always, this is the result of a slow moving hen. Roosters will increase their speed or change direction when they see me coming, but hens nearly always continue on their original course. I do not think roosters are smarter than their female counterparts, I believe it is more likely that hens are just more stubborn.