I think I've become a chicken....

[sandykopandy]

Our production red Gizmos is going on just over a week of being a lone girl after a dog attack took her two flock mates. They were all hand raised and super friendly (white leghorn and barred rock), but now Gizmos has taken to a new habit. Rather than return to the coop to sleep, she comes to me, hops into my lap, clucks (and of course I cluck back), wipes her beak on my shirt and jeans (and it's not dirty- could this be affection?) and then after a while- usually around a half hour, she hunkers down, retracts her head and closes her eyes. I then carry her to her coop and say, "Angel dreams"

. I find a few things fascinating about this. First, the beak wiping. I had only seen this behavior when it was dirty, but this is clearly something else. Second, that if I'm not in the chair, she stands there now and waits for me to walk across the yard to sit down and then promptly hops up. Third, she has developed this habit so quickly and people say that chickens don't remember. I think they DO remember. Oh gosh. I love this girl. And I hope I can find her a suitable sister soon!

 

[Ms.Frizzle]

Aw, that's really sweet! I had a rooster who would jump up in my lap so I'd preen his neck feathers, but idk about the beak wiping. You should video tape it to show her off!

 

[sandykopandy]

Wow! I've never had a rooster. I had no idea they could be affectionate. Yes, I think I'll see if my daughter can video. There's something so amazing about a creature trusting you like that, you know? (And I'm so thankful to have found this forum since I'm pretty sure my non-chicken loving friends think I've lost it.)

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Wow! I wish my chicken liked me like that!

 

[Dowie]

Please please make a video for us! That sounds adorable.

 

[Chicken Frenzie]

Sounds so cute!
The beak wiping might be affection, I always thought they were trying to sharpen it (But I'm full of imagination!

)

 

[lac1975]

That is awesome! I hope some babies are that affectionate when they are older.

 

[sandykopandy]

Okay, I set the camera up tonight. Here's a one minute video of her doing her thing. You can see the beak wiping when she first gets up there. I ran out of memory on my camera so you can't witness the purring (creaky door sound) and going to sleep in my lap.

What do you think???

 

[Dowie]

The beak business could be a sign of ownership too. I always thought it was beak-sharpening and beak-cleaning, but clearly it has a social purpose. That is a adorable.

 

[Ms.Frizzle]

Its soooooo cute!!!! To the bard to hug my chickens! lol, I cluck to my chickens too.