How weird. Over here he was a fraidy cat, scared of his own shadow. Of course he was in the rooster only pen and had not even seen a girl, so it is weird in a way. His egg brothers are very nice to the girls and have never even looked like they wanted to protest us being in the pen. in fact the one likes to herd the girls over to me as I fill the feeders.
I went to try that a few times at night when it was dark and I needed a flashlight. They might not see so well but they hear your footsteps and start chattering, and turned and looked right at me. The scales don't look raised at the ends, but there is some crusty stuff around the joints of the toes. I'll get a picture in a bit. actually quite a bit of mud. I treated her legs a few days ago. what do you think?
I always say what I say when I am coming in, since they were babies, so they won't be afraid. (I guess I should have gone into more detail) When they were chicks in the shed, I said, "Little birds! Hello children!" before I opened the door. When I got Dylan, in the morning she says "Hello children". I know that that was what her breeder must have said to them when he came in - it is a deep man's voice. Dylan never says that in my voice like she does some things. Especially when you raise them in a separate room in the house, it can scare birds to have the door just open suddenly and they sometimes take flight blindly and injure themselves. You can never sneak up on them -- they hear way better than us! Night just makes them more approachable if they are flighty.
I thought I was making a mistake by saying "here birdy birdy" and clucking like I do during the day! My roost area is "designed" such that you have to crouch down to get in there, and you're right there practically touching the lower roost. I still haven't remodeled that to give more room, trying to give them a break as they seem nervous (probably after the two cullings for the barred pullet attack).
When you go in, saying what you always say when you visit with them, just slide you hand under them and grip the legs with your fingers enough to keep them from kicking. Do not grab from above like a predator swooping down. Just like with my parrots, the hand comes up gently from under them. Then when you remove her from her perch, tuck her head under your arm in your armpit and put your hand over the wings. Kind of like she is a football. This is why I like a coop I can stand in.
I thought you liked your green-egg layer NNs!
