Chicken Behavior Question

[max13077]

A farmer friend of the family was making his rounds this morning hunting woodchucks and I happened to be out so I asked him in for a cup of coffee. His grandson Austin who’s two and a half and cute as a bugs ear was with him. Austin it turns out loves my chickens. Each time they drive by my house in the field he has to check them out. I love seeing this so I of course let him in the pen, the coop, etc.

Austin loves to feed the chickens. Let me restate that, he LOVES to feed the chickens. I have no idea why, but anything I can do to see a kid smile as much as he does, I’ll do it!!! Unfortunately I had just filled the feeder prior to them driving up. All the chickens had eaten from what I could see. Well, I’m not one to disappoint kids so we took a scoop of food out and threw it on the ground. WHOOSH!!! A hoard of chickens ran, flew, and sprinted over to eat. They were wolfing it down like they hadn’t been fed in a week.

I’ve seen this before where it looks as if they much prefer to pick and scratch their feed off the ground. Why is that?

 

[Chirpy]

First ... chickens don't think they've been fed in a week!

Second ... I think chickens are part piggy. (I haven't been able to prove that yet but I'm working on it...

)

Third ...chickens love to put on a show...

Finally, and seriously, God made chickens to scratch around, helping to till up the earth. Chickens live to scratch around looking for their food. They get all frustrated when they can't get their feet in the feeder so, naturally, they love whatever they can find on the ground. It's just a chicken thing.

I'm sure someone here will have a better and much more scientific answer but ... that's mine.

 

[Davaroo]

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I think chirpy did a good job of explaining it. I dont know about the putting on a show part or being part piggy. But they do have attention spans of about two seconds and the ground is the place to find food.

I put my 5 weekers in the pen for the first time today. They've seen nothing but wire since their 10th day on Earth. Within a minute they were scratching and digging for goodies.
Scientific or not, Ill go with chirpy's comments.

 

[Guitartists]

I try giving mine treats and scratch as a treat...... they couldn't care less

I wish mine would get all excited.

 

[Anne]

I think they enjoy hunting for it on the ground because it's more fun. Eating from a feeder looks boring.

 

[seismic wonder2]

they are geneticly designed to scratch and peck at the ground. Thet's how they live in the wild.

I dig little holes here and there, fill them with wild bird seed, and cover them over.

My birds LOVE to find the little treat filled treasure troves. If by chance they don't find one , the seeds sprout and they get fresh greens! win/win either way.

 

[max13077]

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