Do you deliberately scare your chicks?

[Gold Griffin Chicken Mom]

Like sablevulpe said, legs sticking straight out was an eye catcher! I hatched two groups of babies this Spring. The April Brood scared me several times. I would reach in to touch the "keeled over dead one" and EVERYbody would jump up and race around. The chicks that favored their Dominique Roo Dad liked sleeping on their sides with legs sprawled. Even knowing that, I'd still have to refrain from shrieking. By the time the May Brood hatched, I was over being scared silly by flat, sprawled newborns.

The June Brood came already hatched from MPC. When I finally decided they were old enough to put them on the Sun Porch, they loved their new accomodations. I had never seen chicks sleep so FLAT. I quietly peeked at them several times, then finally went to bed. Bright and early the next morning I walked onto the Sun Porch to go outside to let the big birds out and stopped by the babies' brooder to say good morning...

You would have thought I had screamed or something. I didn't think they had any place to hide. They proved me wrong. When I laughed out loud, they all tried to switch hiding places. Needless to say, I was doubled over laughing for several minutes and almost forgot that the adult birds were waiting for me.

No, I don't scare my feather babies on purpose. Not normally.

 

[Zahboo]

No. I try everything to earn their trust, but yes, I do click my tongue, or tap the brooder door to make them wake up to do a head count and health check. Nothing aggressive though.

 

[girlychick]

Yes,
I don't do exactly that, but me and my brother like to go run up to them bahking like a mad chicken they start running in a circle then they calm down and eat bugs again xD. Its really fun to watch!

 

[burquechick]

Yeah, they totally do look like dead chickens, and I think it's very cute that you worry about them. I know how you feel. I worry about my chickies all the time too. My dad used to do the same to me when I would sleep in until 2 pm or so. He'd start screaming at me, "ARE YOU ALIVE!!!??". And I turned out ok... Just sayin'...

 

[sgtmom52]

 

[Cattitude]

OMG my new chicklets have scared me several times by doing the pancake sprawl, neck extended at an angle that in a human would be a chiropractor's dream, feet stuck straight back or out to each side... I can't seem to help it, I hold my breath and look thru the poultry wire to make sure they're breathing!

Such a funny picture; the one with it's legs stuck out immediately caught my eye!

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

I never try to scare my birds. I find they have enough stress in their lives and have a hard enough time getting along with their flcok-mates. I had a Polish who died, we believe, from a heart attack. Anything can set some birds off. I have had individuals who were flighty little chicks that rediculously lost their marbles at the slightest flinch from a moving force. That, I cannot help. Many of them have thrived. Others worry me.

 

[Barry1963]

When my Barred was two weeks old, it was laying on its side legs extended, looked dead, So I said "chicken" which I use to call them and she jumped right up. I can relate and dont think youre being mean. Its not like your jumping out of the bushes screaming after them

 

[chickenbuddy0]

I don't like to be scared soooooooooo I would never do it to an innocent animal for fun, nor do I find it funny. I love a good joke and am a light hearted fellow but I find scaring animals, or people, for that matter, cruel.

 

[The Tinman]

I had the same problem everytime I see one of my chicks flat out and face plantented in the shavings I thought they were dead. But my chicks till this day hate to see another relaxing for to long. They will go over and either step on them or lie down to close to the other one.