Crazy chickens!

[Pardee_Boy]

So I'm still green here with this here chicken stuff "stands and waves". I'm just now getting my 3 pullets to produce some eggs and it seems they are coming into their own. Past few weeks have been real fun to come home from work to be greeted by wacky running half flying hens who are just so happy to see me .

So with the increased greetings from the girls I've been giving cracked corn as a treat at about the same time nightly. Just after dinner and about an hour before sunset. I stand on the deck and shake the bag, and her comes 3 crazy wacky hens ready from some treats. They stand down below looking up waiting except today. They all flew straight up about 8 feet to land on the railing and have me hand feed them . Now mind you these are the same chickens who would run in fear and hide in bushes at the mere sight of me a month ago. Now I even get a crazy foot dance and a feather ruffle while I get to pet them.

I'm just tickled to see them enjoying life. Now for the questions anyone have a reason as to why they seem to go through a whole "people" growing up phase in less than 6 months? They go from shy children to teenagers to adults who love interaction its flipping unreal. Buying these chickens this spring has to one of the most rewarding thing I've ever done.

Just think about 6 months ago I was thinking to myself some of you people are really crazy about chickens , now i'm finally seeing why you guys tote pictures of your favorite hen as badges of honor on here.

 

[pookiegoldman]

What a wonderful post! I too am seeing my hens go through a maturing phase. They're just now breaking out of the "awkward teenage" phase to becoming attention-loving little ladies. It's an awesome thing! Hormones I guess... And yeah, 6 months ago I also thought the same of "those people" who loved their chickens to the point of borderline obsessiveness. Funny thing is, I am becoming one of them

 

[NevadaRon]

Mine are still "teenagers" I guess.

About 14 weeks or so. They are starting to run to me every time I go out there, too, though they haven't tried to fly up at me yet. An some are still pretty shy. The few who will let me touch them still squawk when I do.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Changing hormone levels make chickens and people do odd things.

 

[gryeyes]

A wise BYC member once said that as chicks grow into adulthood, weeks equal years. Therefore, a 14 week old cockerel will act like a 14 year old boy, raging hormones that confuse him and make him gawky. 14 year old girls are alternately coy and brazen. 17 week old chickens are independant and know-it-alls, but 24 week old chickens are relatively good ages for young parents, and therefore laying or close to laying, and the cockerels have developed a bit more finesse with the courting behaviors.

So that's how it happens within six months.

 

[SmittenChicken]

I am so in the same boat!
No eggs yet, but my chickens are 19 weeks tomorrow and my Red Stars, Black Stars and White Rocks have been squatting for about a week, and my whole flock is getting to be a lot friendlier.

NevadaRon, at 14 weeks mine were terrified of me and freaked out whenever I managed to catch them. Hopefully you'll see them mellow out a little over the next month.