Becoming "friends" with my 5 girls? How to be able to handle my girls?

[ShotgunDog]

While MOST days I am getting 2 or 3 eggs, these girls occasionally confuse me. One week ago, I had 2 regular eggs, as well as a third 'egg' with NO calcium shell, ONLY the inner membrane. And when I 'opened' it, I saw that it was in fact an egg, and assuming I did not nick the yolk, when breaking the membrane, it was a double yolker. Which I get one or to of every week!?!?

I am fairly new to chickens myself (my girls are about 1.5 years old now), but I will tell you that you will see some funky eggs when they start laying. Double-yolk eggs are a fairly common occurrence at first, as are soft-shell, and even no-shell. Their reproductive systems are just starting up and working out their kinks. As far as the friendly aspect, mine are all Rhode Island Reds which I got from my local Ace Hardware (I'm pretty sure they are sourced from Hoovers). From what I read here on BYC, these girls are supposed to be little a-holes, but that couldn't be further from the truth. They don't like to be picked up, but they love attention. I keep a chair in the run which I use for chicken sittin' therapy. When I sit down on my chair, I am instantly covered in chickens vying for my attention. I usually have at least one chicken that settles down for a nap on my leg as I gently stroke her back. One of my girls, Georgie, even flies up on my shoulder (I'm 5'4..or so) when I'm standing! I did not handle them much at all when they were chicks, but I spent a lot of time with them, every day, talking to them and just watching them. Other than picking them up for health inspections every now and then, I do not pick them up at all--I let them come to me for their short visits. I say 'good night' to my chickens too, as I close their run door and count heads (just in plain English, but I tell them what good and pretty girls they are). They 'coo' back at me, which I take as a good sign. Oh, and I have a "Freddie" too (How could I NOT have a "Georgie" and "Freddie" with all these little redheads running around?!?)

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I've had chickens for 13 years and I've never had any that want to be held and cuddled. This does not bother me. I am always aware of the fact that they are birds, not dogs or cats. They are prey animals. A bird is essentially a wild animal. Chickens are still birds even though we have bred them to be so heavy they cannot fly well. Their instincts tell them that anyone/ anything that wants to pick them up does so for only one reason, and that is to make a meal of them. It is enough for me that they will scratch and peck at my feet, which wild birds will not.

 

[FrostRanger]

I am fairly new to chickens myself (my girls are about 1.5 years old now), but I will tell you that you will see some funky eggs when they start laying. Double-yolk eggs are a fairly common occurrence at first, as are soft-shell, and even no-shell. Their reproductive systems are just starting up and working out their kinks. As far as the friendly aspect, mine are all Rhode Island Reds which I got from my local Ace Hardware (I'm pretty sure they are sourced from Hoovers). From what I read here on BYC, these girls are supposed to be little a-holes, but that couldn't be further from the truth. They don't like to be picked up, but they love attention. I keep a chair in the run which I use for chicken sittin' therapy. When I sit down on my chair, I am instantly covered in chickens vying for my attention. I usually have at least one chicken that settles down for a nap on my leg as I gently stroke her back. One of my girls, Georgie, even flies up on my shoulder (I'm 5'4..or so) when I'm standing! I did not handle them much at all when they were chicks, but I spent a lot of time with them, every day, talking to them and just watching them. Other than picking them up for health inspections every now and then, I do not pick them up at all--I let them come to me for their short visits. I say 'good night' to my chickens too, as I close their run door and count heads (just in plain English, but I tell them what good and pretty girls they are). They 'coo' back at me, which I take as a good sign. Oh, and I have a "Freddie" too (How could I NOT have a "Georgie" and "Freddie" with all these little redheads running around?!?)

The hens are usually quite human friendly, they just tend to be dominant towards other birds and can be bully birds. The roosters are regarded as the most human aggressive roos

However every bird is an individual. There are many wonderful rhodies who aren't bully birds and roosters that are polite. Hatchery rhodies just suffer from overbreeding so you're more likely to get birds with undesirable temperments

 

[Themellowyellows]

When I go out to "tuck them in" at night, I talk to them in English, saying Goodnight and then each of their names (Lynn, Henrietta, Ricky, Fredi, and Princess). I will also say "doh, doh, doh" at least 5 times as well, as per a book I have "How to speak Chicken", this is how chickens say good night to each other.
- Chris

Aww! Yes, I always hear my chickens doing that at night.