Are "flighty" and "Skittish" bad characteristics?

[NorthGeogia]

I'm in it for the eggs only. I've free ranged Golden Comets, Jersey Giants and Isa Browns. They've all been good foragers and thanks to two big dogs, I've never had a predator problem. All 3 breeds are friendly and docile. I'm not convinced this is necessarilly positive. The hybrids seem to have no fear of predators and keep pooping on the porch. I can't scare them off. I'm wondering if a brown leghorn, or RIR would be better. The flightiness would be a positive predator resistant trait and hopefully they'd stay away from the porch. They'd also be great foragers.
What d'ya think?

 

[lazy gardener]

I think flightiness has absolutely nothing to do with porch sitting.

 

[Dawnclucks22]

I think flightiness has absolutely nothing to do with porch sitting.

Just because a bird is flighty won't keep it off your porch. We installed a simple fence with a kit from Home Depot and even though they could fly over it if they tried they don't.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I agree with @lazy gardener flighty and skittish really has nothing to do with keeping chickens off the porch.
Once your chickens get used to you they will be somewhat comfortable around you. A "flighty" bird may scoot when you scoot her, but she will just keep coming back. She may even move out of your reach when she sees you, but if the flock is hanging out there, she most likely will too.

Is there a way to screen in your porch to keep them out?

 

[SilkiesInSuburb]

From what I've seen, a chicken's attitude towards their humans has nothing to do with being friendly towards predators. Unless they have something blocking their vision, like a silkie or polish, they tend to scatter at other things, like rakes, vultures, loud noises, and other scary things. And often even the silkies will do this too.
A skittish chicken will not really avoid you. If you are the caregiver and feeder, they may not enjoy being pet or held but they may follow you around for food.
If you do not want them pooping on the porch, personality has next to nothing to do with it. If it is a nice place, they will stay there. To keep them off, you could try netting or fencing it off.

 

[Harmony Fowl]

I think there is some overlap. The chicken who is very vigilant for predators and also wary of people will have a lower threshold for how close you can get and how often she checks the sky and the wood line. But a bird can have one (vigilance or wariness) without the other. Some individuals combine both and I can see what you mean about how a bird that’s skittish around you could also use that nervous nature to keep watch for predators better than others. I have two Ancona mixes like that. Neither wants my close attention and one is exceptionally cautious (letting others test new things) while the other is exceptionally quick to startle and move away from perceived danger. Maybe what you’re describing is better described as that? A low threshold for danger? An unsocialized bird would display that to people, too.

I don’t know that that would protect your porch, though. They would just sit on it when you weren’t around. Just like they’d hang out in the hawk’s nest if it were comfortable and the hawk was away.

 

[PirateGirl]

I have what I would describe as a flighty/skittish chicken. I would say she startles easily. She runs right up to me for food and water, just like the rest of them, and picks at my dogs' fur with the rest of them, but if I move quickly or in a "scary" way, she bolts, while other birds remain calmer.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

No they aren't bad characteristics if you don't want a hen hanging out on your lap.

I thought my first "flighty" (plain) white leghorn would be the first over the fence and a predator sacrifice, my least expected to like an got because I was told I would get eggs at 16 weeks.

She ended up not laying at 16 it was 20-24 but can't remember exactly now. She had this big beautiful red comb on a pristine pretty white little petite body! And she laid eggs like there was no tomorrow. She wasn't about to let me touch her and as chicks I swore I wouldn't get another one because of how her skittishness was rubbing off on the other chicks. Fast forward.. she was so much fun to look at everybody wanted to see her when they came over no matter what "rare" breeds I had. And she had so much personality she was truly entertaining to watch. A great addition to the flock and the color of the egg basket. No real aggression to speak of. And light on the feed bill to boot in addition to more eggs than any of my dual purpose birds. I let her go to another family who needed more prolific birds.

This year I was going to add a white leghorn (brown is too close looking to Welsumer for me) when I ordered a shipment but WHITE were already sold out. So I'm trying blue Andalusian instead. But I've raised a lot of birds and surprised to find I still would consider a leghorn.

I agree though porch sitting is an issue many of us will face and deal with. Breed has no effect.

 

[NorthGeogia]

Thanks for all your comments.
I guess to summarize:
1. Skittishness/flightiness won't scare them off the porch.
2. But, they will be free-ranged and that trait could be a life saver.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Ya, I think you got it.

But I have never lost any of my non flighty birds to predators either. For me, get what birds make pretty eye candy and enough eggs for your family. Many predator attack will take place during the night when the WHOLE flock is subject to it.

And an aerial predator will have a harder time a) gripping through a fluffy bird to the flesh, and b) carrying of a fat hen. There are pluses and minus to just about everything. So go with your heart!

RIR are not flighty at all. They are very confident and sometimes bullies. Maybe try a variety and see what you like.