Are chickens afraid of bright red colors?

[Flame80]

Just today my normally very calm 11 week old white leghorns got the crap scared out of them. I was walking up to the run carring a big red and white plastic box about the size of a small doghouse. I didn't get 20 foot from the outside of the chicken run and all 6 birds went bullistic!!! Flying into the roof,walls,everything!!! NEVER have they done that. I had the box in front of me so I don't think they could see me so maybe just this big red thing coming at them spooked them!! What do ya'll think??

 

[sourland]

The combination of the unknown object and the color approaching them very likely caused the panic. Chickens hate the unusual.

 

[Henry&Friends]

If I come through my chickens area with a big box, rake, or something of the likes, they run for the hills. They run from the straw bale until I put it down, then they love it. Although ive heard they're inclined to peck at red...

 

[The Happster]

It's not the colour they're afraid of.
I've watched my poor mother be chased around by a flock of chickens just because she painted her toenails red and wore sandals...unfortunate colour choice.

It's more the fact you're carrying a big thing above their heads.
I tried going into the chicken run with a rug around me once. Had to stop when the birds were flying against the wire trying to escape the evil rug.

 

[Bear1978]

The lurking thing that seems to scare mine is a basketball.. yep. A basketball. Sitting about 15ft from the coop. Not moving or anything, scares the b’jesus out of them! More so than the lawn mower or anything else! I had to move it out of their view to calm them down.. Mean ole basketball! Lol!!

 

[Flame80]

If chickens hate the unusual...to quote my father in law...I'm in deep weeds!!

 

[Bear1978]

If chickens hate the unusual...to quote my father in law...I'm in deep weeds!!

That they are for sure!!

 

[Flame80]

My outdoor cat lays against the chicken wire sometimes for hours. He is all white except his black tail. Thus the name "Dipstick" Hah! It doesn't bother the chickens. They actually peck at him through the wire sometimes. He eats lots of wild birds so I'm sure if given opportunity there would be problems. They seem to be best of friends as long as he doesn't lung at them and stays on his side of the fence!!

 

[GC-Raptor]

My pullets (14 weeks old) are afraid of the wheelbarrow, toolbag, bag of pine shavings, feed bag, what?, raincoat, shovel, ladder. They finally accept the garden hose.

GC

 

[Bear1978]

My pullets (14 weeks old) are afraid of the wheelbarrow, toolbag, bag of pine shavings, feed bag, what?, raincoat, shovel, ladder. They finally accept the garden hose.View attachment 2280692
GC

And THAT’S why they’re associated with being scared!!

I thought about drawing a mean face with red glaring, menacing eyes and bared fangs on the basketball to see if there’s an increase in the terror level it causes with them. But I figured that considering the amount of fear the basketball of death and dismemberment that it already causes if they see it, they would just fall over dead if I did that! Lol