Chicken behavior questions

[masloozinit76]

I have 3 golden comets that are 14 weeks old and 2 japanese bantams that are 13 weeks old. The comets are much more social than the bantams and will follow me around, eat from my hands, and perch on me if I don't get their feed down fast enough. The bantams will follow the comets, but will not eat from my hands nor come too close to us. This differs from what I had read about bantams, I thought they were the friendly ones? Is that wrong or are mine just odd? They are both hens, I do believe. (rounded feathers, no roo behavior, very seldom even make a noise! Or their noise is drowned out by my very vocal comets lol But if you an tell differently, let me know!)

Any tips on getting them to trust me like the comet girls do? I have had them since they were 2 days old and have always handled them and socialized them yet they never have come around

Also, my comets voices are REALLY starting to change. Long goodbye to the chirps and welcome in the deeper, drawn out calls. Is that normal for this age? It started about a week ago. Started with just one and I panicked thinking she was sick but shows no signs lol. They also do a sort of "sing" when they see me coming and when they follow me around the yard. This is very new behavior (and I LOVE IT!)

One last one (for now lol), one of my comets wipes her beak side to side on the ground a LOT. Is that normal?? I do checks on them daily with a thorough check weekly to check eyes, mouth, beak, nose, feet, feathers, and skin for illness or mites, ticks, fleas, etc. All are in top health! But this beak thing has me confused. I see all of them do it from time to time, but one does it a lot!

Thanks for any help! Here is a picture of my baby girls.


And here is one of Tender after she flew up on my arm being impatient for food

 

[3riverschick]

Hi

,
Regarding getting chicks to pay attention to you. When a hen is very content, she purrs.
Just like a cat. Sit by your chicks some day and make a soft purring sound. It's neat to watch
them stop in their tracks and listen. Cock their heads and listen. I was in the house last
evening and heard the cocks making the loud danger!, warning! squawks! Went out thinking
it might be a roving dog and saw a big housecat running the fence line. I called out to the birds
that I saw it and thanked them for the warnings. Then I went to each of the three coops and
purred to them. It quieted them right down and they went about their business. Don't lean
over the birds when you purr. It helps if you stand beside them or sit next to them.
Overhead means they think "danger from above". Something is always trying to eat chickens.
I have to remember when I am around them if I am moving or approaching them like
predators would. Then make sure I don't. Smile.
Best,
Karen

 

[Stiggy]

yes the beak wiping is normal. it helps to keep food, dirt and gunk off of their faces. they also do it to keep their beaks in check so that they don't get over grown. some people recommend a cinder block or stone in their house/ area for beak smoothing

 

[masloozinit76]

Hi

,
Regarding getting chicks to pay attention to you. When a hen is very content, she purrs.
Just like a cat. Sit by your chicks some day and make a soft purring sound. It's neat to watch
them stop in their tracks and listen. Cock their heads and listen. I was in the house last
evening and heard the cocks making the loud danger!, warning! squawks! Went out thinking
it might be a roving dog and saw a big housecat running the fence line. I called out to the birds
that I saw it and thanked them for the warnings. Then I went to each of the three coops and
purred to them. It quieted them right down and they went about their business. Don't lean
over the birds when you purr. It helps if you stand beside them or sit next to them.
Overhead means they think "danger from above". Something is always trying to eat chickens.
I have to remember when I am around them if I am moving or approaching them like
predators would. Then make sure I don't. Smile.
Best,
Karen

Thank you Karen! I do sit with them and offer hand feeding daily. The comets will eat from my hand happily and even run to me when I come outside and check my hands for food. But the bantams will not. They will come near me to eat the food the comets knock out of my hand but never have taken directly from my hand. I will definitely have to try the purring!

 

[masloozinit76]

yes the beak wiping is normal. it helps to keep food, dirt and gunk off of their faces. they also do it to keep their beaks in check so that they don't get over grown. some people recommend a cinder block or stone in their house/ area for beak smoothing

Okay, that makes sense! Especially knowing the stone idea. They have a cinder block in their night run (closed run they are only in at night) and a round stepping stone in the entryway and I have noticed her do it on those quite a bit and was wondering what on earth she was doing. Glad to know it's normal behavior and I can quit worrying. I love my girls

 

[Folly's place]

Some birds will be more human friendly than others, don't worry about it. If the older chicks are more dominant, the bantams may just be keeping out of the way. Watch the group and you'll see if that's true. Mary