Hen trying to feed me bugs?

[Eggos]

So I've got a hen who likes to follow me around in the yard and catch grasshoppers. Most times when she catches a big one, she will make the mother hen/rooster "tuk tuk" call for 5 or so seconds, dropping the bug and picking it up before eating it.

At the moment, she is the only bird in the flock (her flockmates sadly passed away but I've got some pullets in quarantine to join her soon). She's never gone broody or have chicks either. She's made this sound before but I thought she could be trying to share her catch with other hens, but now it's just her and me and she's still "tuk"-ing away!

Is she trying to feed me?

She also squats for me, so in a sense, I'm her rooster. I've never read about hens calling roosters for food, only the other way around!

Anybody else have a similar experience?

 

[SmiYa0126]

Oh my gosh, how sweet! Mine have never done that, they would squat for me in the beginning, but not anymore.

 

[Ascholten]

Sometimes in the absence of a rooster, a hen can take up the 'role' of the rooster, protecting the flock and acting like the roo.

I have one that can get very protective of the others when they are out in the yard, especially if the hawk makes it's presence known somehow. While I have not seen it, I have heard of them starting to crow, or at least try to as well .

The squatting thing, they do that all the time, most all of them, except for the very end of the pecking order, I just have to look more down than forward when I am in the yard.

She could be trying to feed you. I have seen again, the one 'protector' share food with other birds. She actually will step up and protect the back beta on occasion or share with her, it's kind of sweet actually.

Since it's not a bad behavior, enjoy it, and teach her to go find hamburgers and hot dogs if she knows how to share now !! Might be a hit at the picnic

Aaron