I care.... but not like I thought I would.

[kathyscott]

I used to leave the keys in my ATV in the garage with the chicks but every time I get home from work my yard is torn up and the ATV is warm so now I take them with me. My guess is it's the runt of the group The Quiet One the Buckeye who doesn't follow the rest of the pack and does it own thing.

OMG hilarious! Thanks for the giggles!

 

[Blooie]

I never wanted lap chickens either. As long as I moved slowly around them, let them come to me if I had a bucket of scraps instead of me forcing myself on them, and could handle them at night if I had to dust them or check on something, I was fine with that.

My first batch of chicks upset me all the time. "They don't like me" and "June the Evil tries to attack my hand" and whatever else. I thought all chicks were supposed to be friendly and cuddly and all that stuff, and mine weren't. I was crushed! When I put them outside to live they were even worse, screaming like banshees and running frantically away from me when I'd go out there.

But once they started laying they settled down a lot, and got used to the fact that I wasn't going away no matter what they did. I could do what I needed to do, they didn't run as frantically, and eventually - on their own terms - they would come over to see what I was doing or if I had scraps. I had one fly up onto my shoulder when we were working on the run, but after I let Ken take a photo she was shooed down. Didn't want her that close to my eyes and those claws hurt!

We had a few who became super friendly - Tank the Light Brahma would actually get up on our disabled granddaughter's lap when Kendra was out there in her wheelchair and sit quietly even if Kendra flapped her arms and squealed. We trusted Tank completely, and she'd even come to be picked up. We had a very friendly Silkie rooster as well. Subsequent batches of chicks had learned from the older birds that we posed no threat, so they didn't see us that way, even though they were raised outside and not in the house from the start. But most of them ignored us and just went about their business. Perfect relationship.

It's a personal call, I think.

 

[PirateGirl]

Thank you for sharing this, and you are not alone. I love my chickens, but they are outdoor pets and producers. To me it is satisfying to care for them, but I have maybe picked them up a handful of times in the year that I've owned them, and that was for the purpose of moving them from point A to point B without the dog eating them, not for a hug or a snuggle. I did not hand raise them from chicks; they came from a farm where I doubt they were hand raised either. They were all raised the same. None are mean. Some are flighty and nervous and run from me, others are brave and curious and run up to me and step on my shoes and try and grab whatever is in my hand. Even if you raise them the same, they won't all turn out the same. Chickens poop a lot and the poop is good for my garden but not for my clothes. I did find that their behavior/personality changed when they hit maturity and started laying, I can't pinpoint it exactly, but they are better now, more fun, like me more because I am their rooster. They run over to me when I open the run door with food and water. I am the giver of dinner and they are the giver of breakfast. I like to watch them and find it calming but I do not sit in the run with them, I sit on the other side of the fence. I pet my dog while I tend to the chickens, but I don't pet the chickens.

We all form our own relationship with our animals. As long as you are providing them with the things they cannot get on their own, good shelter, clean water, adequate food, you are being a good chicken keeper. Everything else is up to you. They are chickens, not children, and they have each other for company and entertainment, they don't necessarily need you for that at all.

 

[PirateGirl]

I never wanted lap chickens either. As long as I moved slowly around them, let them come to me if I had a bucket of scraps instead of me forcing myself on them, and could handle them at night if I had to dust them or check on something, I was fine with that.

My first batch of chicks upset me all the time. "They don't like me" and "June the Evil tries to attack my hand" and whatever else. I thought all chicks were supposed to be friendly and cuddly and all that stuff, and mine weren't. I was crushed! When I put them outside to live they were even worse, screaming like banshees and running frantically away from me when I'd go out there.

But once they started laying they settled down a lot, and got used to the fact that I wasn't going away no matter what they did. I could do what I needed to do, they didn't run as frantically, and eventually - on their own terms - they would come over to see what I was doing or if I had scraps. I had one fly up onto my shoulder when we were working on the run, but after I let Ken take a photo she was shooed down. Didn't want her that close to my eyes and those claws hurt!

We had a few who became super friendly - Tank the Light Brahma would actually get up on our disabled granddaughter's lap when Kendra was out there in her wheelchair and sit quietly even if Kendra flapped her arms and squealed. We trusted Tank completely, and she'd even come to be picked up. We had a very friendly Silkie rooster as well. Subsequent batches of chicks had learned from the older birds that we posed no threat, so they didn't see us that way, even though they were raised outside and not in the house from the start. But most of them ignored us and just went about their business. Perfect relationship.

It's a personal call, I think.

June the Evil

I agree with them settling down once they start laying. Think about unpredictable hormonal teenagers vs adults. Their personalities definitely change for the better once they start laying.

My sister in law gave me a wall hanging that says something about drinking coffee and petting my chickens. I don't pet my chickens, but I had family visiting from the Las Vegas (as big and crazy a city as you can get really) and of course the kids saw the sign and they all wanted to pet my chickens. I was like, um, maybe you can try to pet Harriet, but I don't know if that's really a good idea. And my husband who grew up on a farm is like no you can't pet the chickens, wash your hands, don't touch them, don't touch your face, they poop on everything. Instead I had them learn about my relationship with the birds. I had the teenager help me predator proof one of my runs. He also helped chase off the coyotes one day and fill the duck pool with fresh water and got to see the joy that little bit of responsibility brought my ducks. I am the caretaker. That is my role.