4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Abbey Road Girl]

I let mine free range from mid-afternoon until dusk while I try (from the ground floor of my small cottage) to be within sprinting distance of them.

 

They usually have to be rounded up and convinced to go into the run when it's getting time for beddy byes.

 

Tonight, I went to do the usual roundup and found all of them cuddled up on the kitchen doorstep. Awwwwwww!

 

Makes me feel like a real chicken mum.

 

So what has been the single thing that your chickens have done to endear them to you?

[Sara-W]

Endora (our head chicken) is so friendly that she follows me everywhere and we talk to each other! when I have to go in the house she jumps up on the windowsill to watch me!! I think Id let her come in if it wasn't for the dogs!

 

Sara

Endora Sally Henny Penny Esme

Evelyn Enid Sybil Mildred Agatha Queenie

Delilah Jemimah Lola

Jerry Indiana Monty Lucille Dinah

2 Dogs Saffy & Dharma

[Henhathnofury]

When we lost a new chook we had only had a few months, my little Gingernut Desdemona demanded to go into the shed...she had last seen the poorly chicken in a vet box there. She checked every inch of the shed and then for a week, would jump up on the window box and look through the glass..really peering in. The other chicken (we only had three then) showed no reaction...it was only Desdemona who showed real feeling.

 

Most recently though, we had to separate a girl because of a healing prolapse - although the others could still see and smell her. Yesterday we finally let her out for dustbathing..which she embraced with gusto. The other chickens rushed up to her (one chunky bully to give her an admonishing peck as in where the heck have you been!)......my Light Sussex Narcissa sat leaning on her trilling like a budgie. It was pure pleasure....again real feeling.

 

Being close to chickens has been a revelation...they are more sensitive and feeling than we are led to believe, despite some of their more brutal behaviour to one another.

[C&T]

Seeing Fred going to bed by herself, when Ginger was unwell and inside in a box for the night... She seemed so folorn!

 

Also Fred in a "state", when she wants to lay an egg, but doesn't want to go into the nest box as she may miss out on something It's so funny and so "human"...

 

But Ginger is still my favourate

[jos]

when i go into their little paddock with a book and lie on my tummy to read they all scrabble to get on my back. Those that don't make it lie really close with their heads resting on me ......... so sweet!

J

[Ain't Nobody Here]

The way one of them suddenly realises the others aren't nearby and rushes frantically to join them .

[Chickaboo]

Phoebe will squeeze past the kitchen door into the rest of the house at any opportunity (they are allowed, a lot of the time, in the kitchen ) she is found in various parts of the house ; but the other day I found her sitting by the bathroom door where my OH was having a shower - I think she was waiting for him - it would have been less endearing had there been an 'accident' on the carpet!

[craftyhunnypie]

Bingo one of our pekin cockerels decided that he would sneak into hubby's workshop shed & roost up on his briefcase last night.

 

Emma.x

[Griffin]

Maud is one of my ex-bats. She adores me, will follow me everywhere and if I stand still she leans against my legs. She wants cuddles all the time and is such a sweet girl. She's only been here and out of the cages for six weeks. It breaks my heart to think of how she's been treated. Most of the others are friendly enough but the way she leans on me is very special.

[chelsea]

Our first two hens were Sam & Ella, just the two of them.

 

When sadly Sam passed away Ella sat in our kitchen on the doormat for days as she missed Sam so much.

[Kangarooby]

We got 2 new chicks a few weeks ago, Korma, the top-hen took straight to them and let the chicks sleep underneath her wings the minute they were introduced, now we're down to one chick, she carries treats we give them over to the baby and makes sure she's eaten before going to get her own share

[teri]

best moment with my girls is seing my three year old daughter and polka dot share an ice cream. they were both sitting on the patio and taking it in turns to have a bit of the cream. i think polka dot prefered the cone as she ran off with that bit much to isobels disgust! she was chasing her around the garden shouting "naughty chicken you're not sharing!

[Nats]

My Queenie getting on the sunbed to relax in the sun with me. She gets up, scratches the bed then kind of flops on to her side to take in the rays. The other three think about it but move on........not quite so brave...........or too low in the pecking order to join Queenie on the bed??

 

Love it!

[dancing cloud]

My Daisy top-chook will hang around outside the kitchen in the morning, calling quietly until I go out and sit on the bench. Then she hops up and walks onto my knee for a cuddle . She snuggles into the crook of my left arm so that I can hold her safely while stroking her with my right hand, and she makes little pleasure whimpering noises and closes her eyes in bliss. She'll stay there for maybe 10 minutes or so before she's off bossing the others around and sorting them out - best 10 minutes of the day!

[Lydia]

When Pong died we buried her in the garden and Ping sat on her grave for days. Well spooky!

 

Hatpin and Bartel were devoted to one another and would always share treats between them. When Bartel got ill and couldnt walk anymore Hatpin would just sit with her.

 

Volty, who we lost at the end of June, would jump on our backs and sit on our shoulders whenever she got the opportunity. I miss Volty so much.