How did your flock annoy you today?

[TOMTE]

I once again tried to offer my bantams a tomato by hand, BUT I learned my lesson with that tiny one and went for a large slicer this time.

It did not matter. It did not matter that there was a 3" juicy puncture with seeds and pulp ready for the picking. I watched Hornet actively scan behind the tomato for a shot at my hand. "Gentle," I said, to no one in particular because my chickens refuse to learn human words. Then it happened: Clover grabbed me. I dropped the tomato. The punctured areas immediately filled with mulch, causing Poppy to scream in frustration.

I'm done with this experiment and will use the vegetable skewer next time. I know there's some people that can hand feed their sweet little birds, but that's not in the cards for me.

Mine have gotten much gentler with time but still occasionally get too excited the pain makes it hard to want to keep practicing sometimes.

It's partially excitement on their part but also a learning process. They need to learn how much force is necessary for different situations wrt their beak. The younger they are, the less time they've had to perfect it. Like toddlers learning fine motor skills.

That being said hand feeding isn't necessary so no need to put yourself thru that slow and painful process of teaching them to be gentle if you dont want to

 

[TOMTE]

Edit: Realizing I'll probably have a lot of posts with Poppy "screaming in frustration". Any else have a d'Uccle? You must know what I mean!

I don't have d'Uccles but Aliss was a screamer (just in general really. Frustration, curiosity, excitement, just to hear her own voice )

 

[ValkerieGunn]

After having chickens for a few years now and not having anyone go broody, this year is Broody year. In June Sprinkles one of my black sex link went broody on infertile eggs. Being so excited I brought her some babies but she ran away from them so I got to raise them. Then Shirley disappeared while Laverne (both bantam cochins) went broody. Shirley is found brooding on a nest with chicks hatching. When Shirley hatched hers Yeti the White Silkie went broody. Now tonight I find Face another black sex link brooding. The sex links are all over a year old and the bantams almost 7 months. Between Laverne and Shirley we have 10 new chicks. Yeti and Face I believe are both on 6 eggs. At least everyone but Shirley has brooded in safe places like the coop or a old rabbit cage turned nest box that I can lock up from predators.

Now is the time I am supposed to be lowering flock numbers not increasing them. Also of all my broody girls only Laverne is nice. Everyone else has become vicious and I don't like it. Being pecked so hard by a silkie is ridiculous and I feel I must protest that something so small can be so mean and peck so hard! At least I get to watch cute adorable chicks for the next while run about my yard where I can't be near them or the Mom gets cranky.

 

[ChickenChick46]

I once again tried to offer my bantams a tomato by hand, BUT I learned my lesson with that tiny one and went for a large slicer this time.

It did not matter. It did not matter that there was a 3" juicy puncture with seeds and pulp ready for the picking. I watched Hornet actively scan behind the tomato for a shot at my hand. "Gentle," I said, to no one in particular because my chickens refuse to learn human words. Then it happened: Clover grabbed me. I dropped the tomato. The punctured areas immediately filled with mulch, causing Poppy to scream in frustration.

I'm done with this experiment and will use the vegetable skewer next time. I know there's some people that can hand feed their sweet little birds, but that's not in the cards for me.

Edit: Realizing I'll probably have a lot of posts with Poppy "screaming in frustration". Any else have a d'Uccle? You must know what I mean!

I have a Quinn!! That Mille Fleur is something else! My Gilbert (cockerel d'Uccle) is a perfect gentleman! Quinn is almost assuredly female.

 

[ChickenChick46]

After having chickens for a few years now and not having anyone go broody, this year is Broody year. In June Sprinkles one of my black sex link went broody on infertile eggs. Being so excited I brought her some babies but she ran away from them so I got to raise them. Then Shirley disappeared while Laverne (both bantam cochins) went broody. Shirley is found brooding on a nest with chicks hatching. When Shirley hatched hers Yeti the White Silkie went broody. Now tonight I find Face another black sex link brooding. The sex links are all over a year old and the bantams almost 7 months. Between Laverne and Shirley we have 10 new chicks. Yeti and Face I believe are both on 6 eggs. At least everyone but Shirley has brooded in safe places like the coop or a old rabbit cage turned nest box that I can lock up from predators.

Now is the time I am supposed to be lowering flock numbers not increasing them. Also of all my broody girls only Laverne is nice. Everyone else has become vicious and I don't like it. Being pecked so hard by a silkie is ridiculous and I feel I must protest that something so small can be so mean and peck so hard! At least I get to watch cute adorable chicks for the next while run about my yard where I can't be near them or the Mom gets cranky.

I watched Shirley flare her feathers today at nothing in particular. She's 7 weeks old, and I'm concerned for when she goes broody one day now.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I once again tried to offer my bantams a tomato by hand, BUT I learned my lesson with that tiny one and went for a large slicer this time.

It did not matter. It did not matter that there was a 3" juicy puncture with seeds and pulp ready for the picking. I watched Hornet actively scan behind the tomato for a shot at my hand. "Gentle," I said, to no one in particular because my chickens refuse to learn human words. Then it happened: Clover grabbed me. I dropped the tomato. The punctured areas immediately filled with mulch, causing Poppy to scream in frustration.

I'm done with this experiment and will use the vegetable skewer next time. I know there's some people that can hand feed their sweet little birds, but that's not in the cards for me.

Edit: Realizing I'll probably have a lot of posts with Poppy "screaming in frustration". Any else have a d'Uccle? You must know what I mean!

The only thing I try to hand-feed my girls are those Trader Joe's raw sliced almonds. They just take them from my fingertips.

I'm way too chicken (har har) to offer my cupped hand!

 

[TOMTE]

The only thing I try to hand-feed my girls are those Trader Joe's raw sliced almonds. They just take them from my fingertips.

I'm way too chicken (har har) to offer my cupped hand!

It helps me that I have a dulled tactile sense. So I feel the pecks and sometimes they hurt but I imagine not nearly as much as someone who can feel things normally

 

[thecatumbrella]

It helps me that I have a dulled tactile sense. So I feel the pecks and sometimes they hurt but I imagine not nearly as much as someone who can feel things normally

For me, I'm not sure that it hurts so much as it's a jump scare! Really gets the fight or flight juices going, never knowing when that strike is going to come.

 

[TOMTE]

For me, I'm not sure that it hurts so much as it's a jump scare! Really gets the fight or flight juices going, never knowing when that strike is going to come.

When they just stand and look for a while and then suddenly jerk forward to grab a treat... Yeah

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

I once again tried to offer my bantams a tomato by hand, BUT I learned my lesson with that tiny one and went for a large slicer this time.

It did not matter. It did not matter that there was a 3" juicy puncture with seeds and pulp ready for the picking. I watched Hornet actively scan behind the tomato for a shot at my hand. "Gentle," I said, to no one in particular because my chickens refuse to learn human words. Then it happened: Clover grabbed me. I dropped the tomato. The punctured areas immediately filled with mulch, causing Poppy to scream in frustration.

I'm done with this experiment and will use the vegetable skewer next time. I know there's some people that can hand feed their sweet little birds, but that's not in the cards for me.

Edit: Realizing I'll probably have a lot of posts with Poppy "screaming in frustration". Any else have a d'Uccle? You must know what I mean!

My chickens, with tomatoes and apples, will not eat them diced or sliced. Instead I have to take a bite out of it and they go crazy wanting it. I often pull the apple away before they go too far in, but by the time I come back with cut-up smaller pieces they are disinterested! Instead, my fingers look like a delicious snack and they are biting me like I am an apple. What's funny is they'll try to eat a rock from my hand for two minutes but not cut up fruit!