dislaney Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 Hi - we've only had our ladies for 4 weeks and already one of our girls is extremely friendly - to the point of being a bit of a worry! She seems much smarter than the others and has obviously cottoned on that human = treat. Every time she spots me approaching across the lawn, she rushes to greet me at the door to the run, getting very excited and flying up at me at chest height once I'm inside. I'm not worried about being flown at, but I am concerned that she's going to manage to flap out of the newly reinforced run (AKA Alcatraz - see other forum post!) straight into the jaws of our waiting Jack Russell. I guess the question is - is this normal for a chicken, how can I get her to calm down a bit, and how can I get her to stay friendly but without the full frontal assault? Even our visiting vet said that she was exceptionally friendly for a chicken, so I don't think that I'm imagining things, even though I'm a chicken newbie. She is the only one who lets me stroke and hold her, btw. All thoughts on behaviour welcome! I'm loving being a chicken mummy and want to do the best by my ladies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 Let her get used to you not bearing gifts. If you bring treats in the same coloured bowl, or signal with a clicker or similar, she will make the associations and stop mugging you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie7 Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 Awww, how cute... Can I have your chicken? Please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daxigirl Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 Sunday is the same and likes to loiter round the back door just in case. (She's never managed to gain that much height though ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 Betty is the same. My Mum actually thinks that shes a bit mad.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 My Omlet nutters are like this with OH. No netting or barrier stops them. I don't take them treats so get a much nicer calmer chortling greeting Egluntyne is right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmberSky Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 My girls are so friendly they can spot me in the kitchen from the garden when i return from shopping somtimes, and i always use the same plastic cup to feed them corn so if i have that on me they will follow me all around the garden lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennydavies Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 Ours are like that and regularly knock the treat bowl our of my hand from chest height - they're barmy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dislaney Posted October 17, 2010 Author Share Posted October 17, 2010 Thanks everyone for your advice - am going to do as Egluntyne suggests and do a few treatless visits, plus keep the treats in the same container so they recognise it. Our friendly chicken checked up my sleeve for treats yesterday though, so I think I'm going to have to be one step ahead at all times .... It's great to have so much feedback from the chicken world - really appreciate your time in responding to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gelbel Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 The only time mine associate me with treats is when I shake the mealworm pot. They only get mealworms when I want them to go in after their FR time. My girls run as fast as their little feathery legs will take them to the threshold of their run. But I had a real problem getting them to actually get in to the run - only Cissie would go into eat the worms that I threw on to the floor of the run. The others cottoned onto the fact they'd then be shut in and I, like a silly moo, would give them worms outside the run then battle to get them in. So I decided to be a mean chooky mum and they went without; Cissie would still have her little gorge on worms while I picked the others up physically placed them in the run - still without giving them worms. It took about eight weeks (I swear they forgot that no going in meant no worms) but now all three run straight into the run before I even get the lid off the mealworm pot - they all know they will get a feast. They do not run to me for any other treat. Even the corn pot gets ignored until they are ready for a corn nibble. But they will run and cry at the door when they hear me (before they even see me) in the garden - not for the DH though; as he is not the one to let them out. Madge can sometimes hear me in the kitchen, if the window is open and I am 'singing' and she'll cry to be let out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 I don't think they can ever be too friendly. One of our ex batts Bella is such a friendly girl and whether we have treats or not she makes a bee line for us when she sees us and really seems to like being stroked. Our Salmon Favorelle is also very friendly and also seems to like being stroked and I think it's lovely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helen1962 Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 I raised my girls from chicks so they are extremely friendly so much so that when I bend down to them or sit on a garden seat they come to sit with me. I let them FR in the garden for the afternoon today but they stay very close to me all the time especially when I have a garden fork in my hand! If they see me bend down to sort out a garden plant they will then jump on my knee and Wendy the light sussex (not so light now!) just settles herself down and gets ready for a snooze. My original ex-batts were friendly too but these two think I am mum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 My 2 omlet chickens that I've had for 12 days are sooo friendly. Sometimes I open the back door with mealworms or corn or raisins, sometimes with nothing just going to say hello and stroke them so they never know whether they are getting treat or not. At first i always had a treat, but theres no need now. If they are free ranging they always come to see me, i think hopeful of a treat but have a stroke anyway. Today I gave them some live mealworms which i bought in pets at home for £2.35, me and my little boy threw some on the grass (we spooned some out!) they went absolutely mad for them and were seaching for more in the grass for ages after. The mealworms last for about 2 weeks just got to give them some apple now and again. The cheeky gingernut ranger (Kipper) is always trying to hop on the doormat but I shoo her out as i dont want poo on the house floor. i ve found getting mine into the run really easily. Just a tiny bit of corn or mealworm in my hand, i call their names give them a sniff of the treat in my hand and then walk slowly towards the run. I throw the treat i nthe run and they always run in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 One of my girls, Henrietta, in particular is very friendly, she comes running as soon as she sees me or hears the back door and chuckles away at me as she is having a conversation with me although I don't always have treats for her, then as my tumble dryer is in the garage at the bottom of the garden I walk down with her chattering away closely followed by the other four girls. I often pick her up and have her on my lap for treats as she is also very greedy so it gives the others a fair share. My family think it's hilarious as she is very demanding, if she is not let out by late morning she paces up and down the run making such a fuss. She just makes us smile though so wouldn't be without all of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted October 17, 2010 Share Posted October 17, 2010 I'm not worried about being flown at, but I am concerned that she's going to manage to flap out of the newly reinforced run . . . straight into the jaws of our waiting Jack Russell. I feel sure that your Jack Russell can quite easily be taught not to be a threat to your friendly girls. My JR has grown to love my chooks. He actually sits in their coop snuggled up with one on either side of him looking all pleased with himeslef. I think they see him as a nice hot water bottle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dislaney Posted October 18, 2010 Author Share Posted October 18, 2010 I'd love to share your faith in my JR, but unfortunately he's an incorrigible hunter and if it flaps, he's on it like a shot and then it's curtains. Walkies aren't a very peaceful affair I'm afraid - moles, rats, blackbirds on the wing, wood pigeons, hedgehogs - you name it, he's had it. Day one of the chickens' arrival and he brought down a wood pigeon in front of the coop and decapitated it. So I think we'll err on the side of caution for now - but thanks for the inspiring tale of good doggy behaviour all the same! I live in hope ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dislaney Posted October 18, 2010 Author Share Posted October 18, 2010 P.S. The fact that one of the girls keeps pecking him hard on the nose through the pen wire isn't helping the entente cordiale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 As well as the JR I have a couple of ex racing greyhounds and our little cockerel pecked one of them through the fence right in the middle of his nose. Now the greyhound is the one who is 'chicken' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little brown hen Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 NEVER trust a dog with chickens, how ever good the dog seems, the chickens will always come off worse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
