Are my birds normal?

[enggass]

They will be 5 weeks Tuesday. 3BR and 3RIR. The past week or so they become very excited whenever I come down to visit(basement). Like I have some great surprise for them. When I change their food, they swarm my hands and climb all over the feeder - they even peck at my hands. They used to be timid, but not anymore. And, even if they have food and are resting when I come down, as soon as they se me they wake up and get all excited. If I refresh their food, they begin chowing immediately like they have not eaten in weeks. They are also growing so fast now... Is this all normal behavior? I assume they are just getting very familiar with me and I represent good things to them - like food and water and clean living.
Steve

 

[3chimama]

Sounds like they like you and are happy to see you!

 

[enola]

My hens meet me at the chicken house door every morning, acting like they have not seen me in a week ! If I am carrying anything besides the feed bucket, they absolutely swamp me, making it almost impossible to get in the door.

 

[gryeyes]

There's nothing ABnormal about your birds' behavior.

Many folks would love to have their chicks act the same. (I was lucky in that mine are and have been like yours, all sets of them I've raised.)

They'll go through various stages after they're outside in the coop and run, but I bet yours will ALWAYS want to come running to meet you.

 

[NYRIR]

Sounds like the way mine are...and mine are outside now but still come up to sleep next to me,or follow me around the yard

 

[gritsar]

And they never change! My grown chickens can be acres away, down by the pond and one of them hears the kitchen door close. That's all it takes to get them coming at a dead run, by-passing all kinds of free range goodies and their always full feeder to get to me.
They used to guilt me into always taking something out to the coop with me - I hated to see them run all that way for nothing; but all those treats aren't good for them.
Now I just grab a handful of their layer pellets out of their feeder and toss it on the ground for them. They eat it like it's the worlds best treat. Only took me two years to figure out how to outsmart a chicken.

 

[NYRIR]

That's all?! I feel the same way so I also just grab a handful of their feed....seems to taste better to them somehow.All in the presentation,I guess

 

[chickadeedeedee]

OHHH don't you just absolutely love it when your chickies love you back??? I am laughing at your comment Gritsar..."two years to outsmart a chicken" ... I never thought about doing that to solve my guilty conscious!!! (sp). Thanks for the info!!!

Engass you have some awesome chickies it seems!