Do Chicks "Imprint" When Very Young?

[farmgirlsomeday]

I've read and heard about baby ducks "imprinting" on people before, but I've never heard of a baby chicken doing that.

But here's exhibit A: meet Anabel, my baby Patridge Rock. Anabel is being raised very by a broody foster Silkie hen, and she has a few foster siblings being raised along with her. However, when I take the babies and mama out in the yard for a little free range time, carefully supervised by me at this point, Anabel immediately runs straight to me and won't leave. If I put her back with her sisters and mother, again, she makes a break and dashes over to me and stands there peeping until I pick her up. I've never seen a baby chicken behave this way. Have you?

 

[Mattsiewrt94]

She loves you she must think your her mom. I've had chicks do that to me

 

[shmccarthy]

I had 2 little chicks I hatched out act like I wa their mama. They were really attached to each other as well. I would place my hands over the ground and they would run under them. When I would take one of the chicks out and not the other, they would both make the loudest chick screaming noises I ever heard, until they were together. I would carry them together around and they would fall asleep on me. It was the cutest thing.

 

[PrairieChickens]

Chickens don't imprint the way ducks or geese do, but I have had several chicks over the years that decided they REALLY liked a certain person in particular and would come running whenever they saw their chosen human. Other chicks would bond with their brood mates, and long after they were kicked out of the nest, they would stick by each other's side.

For whatever reason, this chick has decided that you are her best friend, and she wants to hang out with you given the chance. She may grow out of it, or you may have a friend for life. Time will tell.