Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Gentle1973]

We got our chickens yesterday and they seem really friendly! We got them from a breeder and they were all free range, so I thought they would be quite skittish and nervous, but this afternoon each time I have gone to the run they come over to the door and let me stroke them and even pick them up!!!

 

Do they have to be shut up each night in their house? Their house is inside the run which they are shut in all the time, so last night we left them to go in and out of the house themselves and they seem fine.

 

I have also discovered that they love strawberries!

[craftyhunnypie]

my chooks are a sfriendly as hell. Beautiful loving pets that love a fuss & lots of attention. They love being hand fed & cuddles! Hard to believe that birds can be so cute!

 

It's normal! They are highly intelligent aren't they!

 

Emma.x

[Kathy C]

They do have a lot of character!

 

When our's arrived Chandon was always wandering over for fussing. Now she has started laying she is more aloof.

 

Peri will run over when called (most of the time) and likes a fuss. She always comes for a fuss when I check for eggs. She is deliberately naughty so I will pick her up.

 

Moet loves to be stroked and fussed, particularly by my husband.

[Hen Watch]

Mine rush over to the back door as soon as I turn the handle. They then follow me around the garden for a few minutes until they get fed up. Very friendly, especially the Gingernut Rangers who are nosey.

 

You don't say if you have an eglu/run or some other type of housing. I have an eglu and initially shut the door every night and opened in the morning but now, since going on holiday, I leave the eglu door open all night and run shut. I have very heavy clay soil so it is hard to dig under my run but I know others on this forum have light soil or have had bad experiences with tunnelling foxes.

 

Chickens are funny little things, and their ways (as you are finding for yourself) are highly amusing.

[The Dogmother]

I don't shut the door at night unless it's going to be below freezing.. they are fine and can let themselves out into the run in the morning. But then I don't have many foxes in this area and it's a calculated risk I am prepared to take.

 

My girls mug me for food when ever I go outside.

[Foxy Loxy]

I have had my chickens for two weeks. At first they were nervous wrecks. Then they became ever so slightly adventourous. Now, there is no stopping them. I had a fine old day on Sunday, chasing my chickens four gardens down! I had to throw a piece of sweetcorn down every 30 cm of land to tempt them back to my garden. I have had to secure the whole garden now and put chicken wire against the bottom of the hedge.

 

Since their break for freedom, they have become very bold. They will peck me when I try to open the run. I think its because they think I have got food for them.

 

I have tried stroking them but they seem to nervous of me.

[The Dogmother]

They'll calm down when they start laying.