If you could communicate a thought to your chickens, what would it be?

[Pukkits]

As much as we love them, chickens can be frustrating. If you could communicate a thought to your chickens, what would it be?

Most of their chickenly behaviors are understandable and not too difficult, but today they are driving me crazy. It's hot, around 95F. This isn't abnormal for our summers. Our two five year old hens, Becky the barred rock and Lucia the buff orpington, know the drill. Our heat is dry, so evaporative cooling works well. I turn on the hose, running a mister in the shade and the convenient hose leak wets a large shaded area of dirt. They wade in the puddle and stand in the mist. When I turn the hose off and the water seeps into the soil, they dig bowls in the wet dirt and lay in the cool soil in the shade. Our eight new orpington pullets(5 chocolate, 3 lavender)...have a lot to learn. They wander into the sun, they are offended by wet dirt under their feet. They have their beaks open with the heat. One followed Lucia into the puddle and immediately closed her beak and looked more comfortable. She promptly *walked back into the sun*. If I could communicate something to our chickens, it would be stay in the dang shade and stop being afraid of cooling water.

What would you communicate to your chickens?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I would tell them that just because I bring the food does not mean I am the food. Leave my shoes alone you fluffy little freak!

 

[JakeTheDogsGiantLiver]

I've had my chickens for maybe two weeks, so I haven't "learned" their language yet. But it would be: "I'm your friend!". I know they will learn it and they are, but it would still be nice

 

[Mother of Chaos]

“You are not dying. You are surrounded by food: ferment, dry feed, and forage. Give it a rest!!!”

 

[MommyGirl]

That I have no rooster so they are wasting their time sitting on those eggs

 

[Pigeony]

I can't decide between:

"Please stop filling every possible water source with mud. I know you don't care about drinking from mud puddles but I have to clean and fill those all the time."

or...

"Please don't swarm my feet and trip me when I have food, I know you want the food and you would get it faster if I didn't have to carefully step around all of you and your overly trusting offspring."

But I also know chickens well enough to realize that even if I could communicate these words to them, they wouldn't care . Their response would be "So what, I'm gonna do what I want, you figure out your own problems, human."

 

[TexasTurkeyMama]

Eat the weeds.

 

[jbj25]

You sure would make some good dumplings! But, no, no, settle down, I am just kidding.........or am I

 

[Mother of Chaos]

You sure would make some good dumplings! But, no, no, settle down, I am just kidding.........or am I

I like to remind my overwound Barred Rock that she is of a dual-purpose breed!

 

[Sinadrea]

As much as we love them, chickens can be frustrating. If you could communicate a thought to your chickens, what would it be?

Most of their chickenly behaviors are understandable and not too difficult, but today they are driving me crazy. It's hot, around 95F. This isn't abnormal for our summers. Our two five year old hens, Becky the barred rock and Lucia the buff orpington, know the drill. Our heat is dry, so evaporative cooling works well. I turn on the hose, running a mister in the shade and the convenient hose leak wets a large shaded area of dirt. They wade in the puddle and stand in the mist. When I turn the hose off and the water seeps into the soil, they dig bowls in the wet dirt and lay in the cool soil in the shade. Our eight new orpington pullets(5 chocolate, 3 lavender)...have a lot to learn. They wander into the sun, they are offended by wet dirt under their feet. They have their beaks open with the heat. One followed Lucia into the puddle and immediately closed her beak and looked more comfortable. She promptly *walked back into the sun*. If I could communicate something to our chickens, it would be stay in the dang shade and stop being afraid of cooling water.

What would you communicate to your chickens?

I would tell my rooster, "If I wanted to kill you it would have been done already, so quit charging at me"