For those of you with multiple species of birds, do you have a favorite bird?

[bobsmith2002]

For those of you with multiple species of birds, do you have a favorite bird? And is it okay to have a favorite bird over the other birds in your possession? Or is that a bad thing to do? How do you deal with this?

 

[SnackMeat]

There are some birds who seem to gravitate towards my SO more than me or other birds, some birds that gravitate towards me than my SO or other birds, and some birds who just like some birds and not the humans or other birds.

So long as their base needs+ enrichment are met, I'm not exactly seeing the conflict of having favorites. Any bird who wants treats gets them so it's not a case of favoritism.

We do have one bird who is our favorite, Calmburg, a gold spangled Hamburg, and because she is trustworthy, we let her roost separately in a workshop where she prefers to be away from the hustle and bustle of everyone else. Her brother, Cheese, is a little bit more of a derp, but when he is more consistent he will be allowed to roost in the workshop as well. As it is, he falls asleep on a power tool early, and then gets moved.

That's the only real favoritism but it's more that Calmburg has earned it by being consistently a good bird who we never have to worry about running off and hiding.

We have some other favorites, but they're more like escorts-- they expect their payment (mealworms) up front. And when we are out, so is most, if not all, pretence of affection. Similarly, our favorites for those types tend to be either the prettiest ones, or the ones with the most personality.


And then the nameless-- not as pretty, not as much overt personality, and a mismatched team united only in their love of dining and dashing. Most of these have gone unnamed unless there was something about raising them that stuck out.

I'd have to count but I want to say we have 12+ pure bred chicken types (with another 4 types in the incubator), two different barnyard mixes that are either half Wyandotte, or the second group had rooster dads that were either Easter eggers, Brahmas, or French Black Copper Marans.

Also three different types of ducks.

The upside to raising chickens for meat is that it really allows for lots of different types. The favorites stay, and the non-favorites either make it to weight for food, or get traded for birds who are ready to be Camp Freezer'd.

And sometimes our favorites, like Pot, who is pictured stealing some of my unattended Monster drink, will likely have to wind up Camp Freezer'd too because we can't have them when they start consistently crowing or being a sex-pest.

 

[ValkerieGunn]

I have my favorite coloring but a favorite bird not really. But I have the list of who annoys me most and least on any given day. Daytona loves to wander off and last week visited my neighbors flock for the second time, Casper one of my cockerals is in the lead for staying since he is such a good boy usually, Ruffnut and Tuffnut are so small and good at sneaking through a hole in the fence to get away from the rest of the flock while they free range, Shirley disappears all day until it is time to roost, and Nibbler just has to talk anytime she hears or sees me around. But Kora is my favorite for striking coloring but is a jerk so there is that. Once the recent chicks grow out some more we will be seeing a flock size reduction once we know who will be staying or going.

 

[Mrs. K]

Beware… I have noticed the predator ALWAYS gets your favorite!

 

[atomic]

I believe Elvis my sapphire gem to be my favorite, she is actually a girl but the name is thus because I was told she was a cockerel when she was small. Her comb and wattles are just so robust and red, her feathers great condition, she’s not the smartest but she is the most food motivated. She is gentle and the easiest one to catch or pick up. Although to be fair all of my birds are in excellent shape, I must be doing something right! Paloma is another blue breed very similar to Elvis and she was my favorite, but she is a very clever bird and evaded myself and my mom for a solid twenty minutes the other day trying to get her back in the coop. Meanwhile I have an injured knee and hobbling around my uneven yard chasing her was less than ideal. She is on the sheet list for the moment.
The first two are the lovely Elvis and the second two the sheisty Paloma.

 

[AshVau22]

I love all my birds, but I do have my favorites. I think it's more of me being there favorite. I have chickens that the second I sit down they jump up for snuggles. All of them are easier to handle I can walk over and pick up whatever one I want. But the ones who come to me are my favorites. My ducks not so much they do duck stuff and prefer me not near them and that's fine. My Turkeys are basically lap dogs. You can't do anything without tripping over them. I do love my quail they are just the cutest. I have a few that like picked up for kisses. My daughter has her pet Seramas and they are just ridiculous the amount of personality in those little birds is absolutely comical.

 

[Sir Sacabambaspis]

I love my avian army... But I have to admit that some of my birds are more human friendly which leads to me enjoying interacting with them a lil more than others. Nigel is very friendly in comparison to the majority of my other birds... Even the chicken he lives with is less friendly and she's willing to eat out of my hand! Nigel is like a that little kid who's always following you around and asking questions