Thought it was absurd enough to mention...... This afternoon I went out to see the kids and add another bale of shavings to their coop (mind you- this is not a new or unusual activity) when they all decided to act as if they'd never seen me (or the shavings) before and went into a blue panic as I opened the bale and fluffed up their bedding. Previously seemingly sensible chickens flew around my head (one even lighted on my scalp to get a better trajectory for her launch at the wall) and went absolutely ballistic for reasons apparent to nobody...... They continued to orbit and squawk until I left, then 15 min later I went back and they were prancing happily in the new shavings...... I love my girls but sometimes I'm not sure they're wrapped too tight .
I had that happen ever once and a while I will bring an unknown object and everyone will go crazy. It funny one moment it can be complete frenzy and the next they can be as calm as can be.... on a side note some breeds still go crazy when the see me. So this is a normal occurrence for me.
Oh yes, I have fond memories of shaking out a bale of straw in the coop. The chickens, led by the flock rooster, proceeded to tunnel beneath it in search of grains on the straw pieces. For awhile, all I saw was the straw moving, accompanied by muffled happy cluckings. Eventually, my rooster's head came up like a periscope from under a pile of straw in the middle of the coop. It was absolutely hilarious.
Same story here. I just put a bale of hay in and you would have thought I was holding a butcher knife in one hand and a fryer in another. They went ape crazy.
I had the same thing happen when I first put my girls out in their coop this summer. I have learned to clean and add more shavings to their coop when they are outside free ranging. Then when I make them go back in..they are happy to see new shavings and get busy making everything just right.