Chicken personality - do they really enjoy our company?

[lightningsally]

I'm talking about the vigorous squawking when we arrive home, the crowding around the back door and following us intently around the back yard.

Or is it all about the food???

 

[HEChicken]

For most I would say its about the "waddidyabringme?" mentality but I do have one that I think just genuinely enjoys my company. She is a LF mixed breed but I've always thought she was my prettiest hen and recently someone on here suggested she is a silkie mix (despite being LF?) due to her black skin, comb etc. Regardless of breed (although I mentioned it because my understanding is Silkies tend to be particularly friendly), she seems to enjoy just "hanging" with me. When I step outside and stand on my deck, she climbs the deck stairs and then flies up onto the deck railing - always right next to me - and just kind of "chats" to me. If I sit on the deck stairs, and she is on a step behind me, she almost always uses that position to walk up onto my back and stands near my shoulder cooing softly in my ear. I know she'd love a treat if I offered it but with her, I do get the sense she is there more because she likes the company than out of any expectation I'll produce something for her.

 

[teach1rusl]

I know with SOME of mine, it's mostly about the food; once they see I have no treats, they wander off directly. But with others, even after they've discovered that there is no food in the vacinity of my person, they still want to sit on my lap, or hop up on my shoulder, or follow me around. They wuv their mommy, and nobody can tell me different...lol!

 

[Sjisty]

I think my chickens know mommy equals food. Mommy also equals safety, and more food. Mommy also can warm feet on a cold day, oh, and also brings food.

My chickens come running whenever I'm outside. If I don't have food, most of them wander away, but stay within the area where I am. When hubby and I are out in the yard working, usually we have about a dozen chickens close by. They know there's no food, but either they have eternal hope or they know our presence will keep them safe. If we are outside with anything in our hands, we are immediately surrounded and can only shuffle forward an inch or two at a time until they all realize we aren't carrying food.