I'd be fooling myself if I thought she was just in love with me....

[royalrock]

I have 5 chicks. They are about 6 -7 weeks now? (I should really figure out their exact age!)
They are currently living in one of the stalls in my stable - the one closest to the indoor arena where I teach from 4-8pm.
The last two nights about 5 pm one of them has been peeping SO LOUDLY I can barely concentrate to teach. I looked in on them and she was at the door peeping her head off. They had some food left and water, she doesn't seem ill or hurt.

When I go over to her she wants to jump on top of me, preferrably on my head at which point she will reduce herself to peeping at a normal volume. Tonight I found a real comfy position for her in my left hand and petted her with my right and she calmed down completely.

I'd love to believe that she is hearing my voice when I teach and just HAS TO get my attention but obviously that's probably naive......what should I be concerned about?

 

[RonC]

If she has food and water and isn't cold you're probably correct. She hears your voice and knows who takes care of her. I have one that has to be petted or held everytime I go into the run.

 

[Roosterlover5]

Nothings wrong with that.She 's just missing her mamma,and you comforted her. Mine did the same thing.

 

[azygous]

Is she an Easter egger, Ameraucana, by any chance?

I have three of these charming little manipulators who, in their own individual ways, have turned me into a total tool.

One will save her egg until I come into the pen, and she looks up at me and commands, "Caw, caw, caw!" Meaning "open the pop hole flaps so I can go inside to lay." (She wears pinless peepers due to a feather picking problem so doesn't see well.)

She also demands to be picked up and cuddled. All the time.

Another is what you describe, constantly demanding close contact, and impatient to the degree she'll jump on my head or back to get it.

The third is a somewhat milder combination of the other two, always wanting to be held.

I think your demanding critter would be content to ride around in the crook of your arm the entire time you are teaching, or may learn to perch on your shoulder if you teach her.

And yes, it's easy to fall under the spell of such charm.

 

[royalrock]

No, she is a Golden Comet.
Wow, so interesting I was SURE that it had to be something horrible and not just chicken love! I would love for her to hang out with me while I teach! I already said I want to take one to horse shows (maybe two if they need a buddy) with me this summer, much like many trainers take their little toy dogs!
I'd love to let her perch on me except for the poop! I'd better expedite my already requested chicken diapers!

 

[azygous]

Yep, chickens are under-rated when it comes to filling the role of cuddly lap pets!

I have no doubt whatsoever that my three cuddle hogs would be delighted to ride around inside my arm all day long if I would accommodate them.

Don't be too concerned about the poop problem. Surprisingly, after chickens mature, they rarely, if ever, will poop on you. It seems to be a hazard mainly confined to chicks, who, like human babies, poop constantly everywhere they happen to be.

It's more common than you may think for people to keep house chickens. Some are even house trained.

Like any animal you wish to train, you use their natural inclinations as a spring board. If you have such a tame, friendly little girl, she'll be delighted to have you train her to be a shoulder hen. I'm sure, in time, she'll be able to save her poops for when you put her down from time to time for potty breaks.

 

[royalrock]

wow, great insight! That would be wonderful!