Chickens and Wild Deer?

[Patinas]

This happened yesterday afternoon. A wild, young deer, came into the yard and the chickens were out free ranging. Some of the chickens were immediately curious about this visitor so they went walking up to it. The deer was curious too but not alarmed. They were all looking at each other and then, strangely enough, the deer actually tried to play with them!!

At that point I ran into the house to get my camera and change lenses and by the time I got back outside, all the chickens had wandered off but one of my blue andalusians still hanging with the deer and browsing with it

Anyone else experienced this kind of behavior between deer and chickens? It was really funny to see the deer trying get them to play with her!

 

[Molpet]

the deer come up all the time, but my turkeys think the deer want THEIR mulberries and comfrey and chase them off

 

[MattyE]

I get this a lot, my chickens don't really pay any attention to the deer until they start trying to eat from the honeysuckle bush.. but the chicks, deer, and rabbits will all play nicely. Groundhogs on the other hand, send our rooster into a frenzy and get ran out of the yard..