Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

Eating Out of my Hand

For example.......

There is something deeply unnatural about that video to me. They wandered off while there was still food on your hands??
Mine (including the littles) go at my hand until there is not a scrap left and then test out my rings and/or finger nails as well just in case they might also be edible.
I clearly raise pigs not Princesses and you clearly raise well-mannered chickens who know to walk away from the table and not eat the pattern off the plate.
Sigh.

 

[BY Bob]

That is pretty much my approach as well. Homing pigeons are considered to be aloof and non-cuddly. I find if I respect their personal space they will show me just how interactive they want to be, like your flock, mine are all different. . I do handle the babies although squabs and chicks are apples and oranges, altricial vs precocial.
I was just surprised because most people, self included, cannot resist handling baby chicks!

It is very hard not to touch them and handle them. Frankly, Sydney is quite scary if you are holding them and they make a distress call. Ned got himself trapped in between two layers of chicken wire the other day. He went crazy when I reached in to pull him out. Sydney came flying over ready to peck my eyes out. Mrs BY Bob was stunned by it.

Sydney does make it easier to respect their space.

 

[BY Bob]

I love that approach. I confess I am not as nice as you as I really want to be sure I don't freak them out by touching them so I want everyone to know that bad things don't happen if I pick you up so I do force myself on them a bit more than they would probably like. The big Princesses seem to take it in their stride and tolerate me just fine.
The cool thing about Minnie flying on my head yesterday (which I am sure was only because it was the highest point not because she really likes me) is that she seemed totally comfy clinging to my hand and settling on my arm and let me stroke her pink chest feathers and Dotty stayed close by and didn't run away.
By the way, Minnie has very hot feet which was also just lovely to feel on my hands.
Sorry for going on - I am clearly just in love!!

Please, do go on. I love their soft warm feet on me. The day Mal and Aurora decided to roost on me is one of the highlights of all my years with chickens. Maleficent nuzzling my neck is right there with the first time Daisy, the greatest hen ever, jumped in my lap.

You need to be able to handle them, i agree. The only one I have trouble handling is Aurora and that has been from day one. I can pick everyone else up. I just only do it when I have to.

 

[BY Bob]

There is something deeply unnatural about that video to me. They wandered off while there was still food on your hands??
Mine (including the littles) go at my hand until there is not a scrap left and then test out my rings and/or finger nails as well just in case they might also be edible.
I clearly raise pigs not Princesses and you clearly raise well-mannered chickens who know to walk away from the table and not eat the pattern off the plate.
Sigh.

Let me say this. It is one thing I have noticed about my hens. Aside from mealy worms and human food (mostly pasta) they never strip any area bare of food. Remember Hattie's 2 dandelions, they are still alive. I do not have bare spots in my yard where they have stripped everything. They almost always leave some corn behind in my hand. I can't say why but it is almost like they are practicing resource conservation.

 

[RoyalChick]

Let me say this. It is one thing I have noticed about my hens. Aside from mealy worms and human food (mostly pasta) they never strip any area bare of food. Remember Hattie's 2 dandelions, they are still alive. I do not have bare spots in my yard where they have stripped everything. They almost always leave some corn behind in my hand. I can't say why but it is almost like they are practicing resource conservation.

I am going to go right out and provide a conservation lecture to the chickens in the Chicken Palace!

 

[Shadrach]

So it wasn't a spur? I wonder.

I must confess the whole business is a complete mystery. I'm just very glad that whatever the problem is, it doesn't seem to cause her any discomfort. She didn't get treated this evening due to foul weather and I mean sheet rain and enough lighting watts to run a festival.

 

[MaryJanet]

I am going to go right out and provide a conservation lecture to the chickens in the Chicken Palace!

I'm going to do the same, but only to Janet, Ivy and Peggy. Mary is a very graceful eater.

 

[Shadrach]

Wow
Been a busy week here at The Chicken Palace and I haven't had much time to post. But I had to create time this evening because I am still in shock.
The baby Princesses are at their awkward, ugly teenage stage. They aren't comfortable in their bodies, they stay up late at night making a lot of noise and they don't always make sensible decisions. But I love them!
Anyway, here they are and you can see Minnie has developed a 'do' just like Dotty's. In this picture she isn't settled down on the bar, she is actually weighing the jump that she then took onto my head (no photo for obvious reasons!). I managed to coax her onto my hand and then tried to get her back onto their fire-escape with Dotty (more on the fire-escape in another post - when I get a minute) but instead she walked up my arm and seemed ready to settle in for the night.
I think the baby Princesses like me now!
View attachment 2242392View attachment 2242396View attachment 2242398

Got to love those hair styles!

 

[Shadrach]

I try to give them as much time as possible to get used to me. I want them to touch me first, hence eating out of my hand. I want them hanging around me without fear of being touched in case they don't like it.

For example, I can't touch Sydney, she doesn't like it but Sydney will touch me. I can't get near Aurora to touch her. She is spastically afraid. Whereas I can touch Phyllis and Hattie anytime I want. I try to respect their wishes as much as I can.

Good chicken keeping imo.

 

[Shadrach]

There is something deeply unnatural about that video to me. They wandered off while there was still food on your hands??
Mine (including the littles) go at my hand until there is not a scrap left and then test out my rings and/or finger nails as well just in case they might also be edible.
I clearly raise pigs not Princesses and you clearly raise well-mannered chickens who know to walk away from the table and not eat the pattern off the plate.
Sigh.

I think, and it's what I see here with mums and chicks that if mum wanders off the chicks will follow mum in general. Some chicks I've had will not eat from my hand unless mum scratches the food off my hand and then calls them to eat.