Is adding a Roster a good idea?

[7L Farm]

I live on a farm & its pertty laid back here. I have two flocks & they free range. I feed them a treat everyday usually something from my gardens are quail eggs boiled or BOSS. Out of the two flocks I have one bird that I named Moochie. Every evening I'll get a cold beer & sit in my golf cart & Moochie jumps in the cart & then jumps in my lap & we drink beer together. She's my drinking buddy. No, I don't give her much but she's my buddy. I have to tilt the can for her to get a drink then she wipes her beak on my pants. I think not stressing the birds & letting them live in harmony keeps them healthy & happy. Simply peace & a quite relaxing environment. Mine do like country & western music too.

 

[Davaroo]

I live on a farm & its pertty laid back here. I have two flocks & they free range. I feed them a treat everyday usually something from my gardens are quail eggs boiled or BOSS. Out of the two flocks I have one bird that I named Moochie. Every evening I'll get a cold beer & sit in my golf cart & Moochie jumps in the cart & then jumps in my lap & we drink beer together. She's my drinking buddy. No, I don't give her much but she's my buddy. I have to tilt the can for her to get a drink then she wipes her beak on my pants. I think not stressing the birds & letting them live in harmony keeps them healthy & happy. Simply peace & a quite relaxing environment. Mine do like country & western music too.

Well any chicken that will share a beer with you and likes country music cant be all bad!
I used to have an Australorp hen, Hazel, that would get under my feet until I picked her up. As long as I rubbed her a bit between the shoulders, she seemed satisfied. Once I put her down, though, she would run off to join the flock and thereafter become a cowardly ninny, like the rest of them. She was the only fowl in my experience to ever pay me any heed.

One of my favorite books puts it this way:

"House and run should be made ready before the birds arrive, so they can settle down at once in peace and quiet. Sawing, hammering and other noisome tinkering will disturb them. Fowls are nervy creatures, and won't do what is expected of them if they are upset. For which reason they must be handled and sheparded gently and unhurriedly." - - How to Grow and Produce Your Own Food, 1946, Oldhams Press Ltd., London

I see a common thread among the many "my chickens are friendly" posts - the chickens are treated 'gently and unhurriedly.'
I still agree with John Henderson, in that chickens that do not shun human contact give every appearance of comradeship. Whether that is genuine or not is in the mind of the of the human, I suppose. Which is where it matters most, when you think about it

 

[gg706]

I hope there is a "moochie" in my flock!!!!! That sounds SO great! I can picture it in my head ....your pleasant evening ritual.

I live on a farm & its pertty laid back here. I have two flocks & they free range. I feed them a treat everyday usually something from my gardens are quail eggs boiled or BOSS. Out of the two flocks I have one bird that I named Moochie. Every evening I'll get a cold beer & sit in my golf cart & Moochie jumps in the cart & then jumps in my lap & we drink beer together. She's my drinking buddy. No, I don't give her much but she's my buddy. I have to tilt the can for her to get a drink then she wipes her beak on my pants. I think not stressing the birds & letting them live in harmony keeps them healthy & happy. Simply peace & a quite relaxing environment. Mine do like country & western music too.

 

[Shades of Blue]

I live on a farm & its pertty laid back here. I have two flocks & they free range. I feed them a treat everyday usually something from my gardens are quail eggs boiled or BOSS. Out of the two flocks I have one bird that I named Moochie. Every evening I'll get a cold beer & sit in my golf cart & Moochie jumps in the cart & then jumps in my lap & we drink beer together. She's my drinking buddy. No, I don't give her much but she's my buddy. I have to tilt the can for her to get a drink then she wipes her beak on my pants. I think not stressing the birds & letting them live in harmony keeps them healthy & happy. Simply peace & a quite relaxing environment. Mine do like country & western music too.

move over dogs.....chickens are man's best friend.....lol....

 

[Birde]

I don't drink & I don't have to get my chickens drunk to get them to dance with me. We are high on each other. I have so many chickens its stressful at times taking care of them. They sense my moods. When I'm happy so are they. When they see me with a feed bucket I'm in trouble

 

[7L Farm]

I don't drink & I don't have to get my chickens drunk to get them to dance with me. We are high on each other. I have so many chickens its stressful at times taking care of them. They sense my moods. When I'm happy so are they. When they see me with a feed bucket I'm in trouble

I don't get my chickens drunk. Where did you read that?

 

[Davaroo]

I don't get my chickens drunk. Where did you read that?

I think the assumption was made that if you partake, drunkenness inevitably follows. While not true in all cases, it is a common misconception.

 

[gg706]

Even if the chicken did get drunk..........WHO CARES?????? It is a chicken, and she and her owner enjoy a beer together...BIG DEAL! Its not like he is giving a beer to a 2 year old child...come on! I have gotten my dog drunk before, she enjoyed it!

 

[CorinneP]

I Have several and Love them , Maybe My Girls do get a Little stressed out.. But my Fertilization Rate on Eggs is also Very High ; ) How ever As for protection if I went running every time they set off an Alarm I would need to patrol with a gun on my shoulder .. Darn Roos Can't tell time at ALL ! I Am always yelling Back I am up ! See Me I am UP Already ! I Am probably Roo Heavy , But just Intentionally ordered and received 4 more .. (For Breeding Next year ) So Far Mine Get along quite well an occasional fight to prove dominance .. The New Roos will be in a separate Hen house currently under construction and near finishing Thank Heavens .. The new Coop will have a Division in both the coop and the runner, so That I can separate and control Breeding better . Hopefully I wont get to Much Fighting but If I do I will allow Most of The Roos to Free Range .. I Personally Just LOVE The Looks of a Fine Rooster and I Can't hear them when I am inside For the most Part and When I am out side I truly enjoy it . AS Far as Personalities My Flock are like my Friends .. Some are cuddly and chatty and want to be around me all the time .. some Aren't .. Closer to some than to others.

 

[Ole rooster]

Well any chicken that will share a beer with you and likes country music cant be all bad!
I used to have an Australorp hen, Hazel, that would get under my feet until I picked her up. As long as I rubbed her a bit between the shoulders, she seemed satisfied. Once I put her down, though, she would run off to join the flock and thereafter become a cowardly ninny, like the rest of them. She was the only fowl in my experience to ever pay me any heed.

One of my favorite books puts it this way:

"House and run should be made ready before the birds arrive, so they can settle down at once in peace and quiet. Sawing, hammering and other noisome tinkering will disturb them. Fowls are nervy creatures, and won't do what is expected of them if they are upset. For which reason they must be handled and sheparded gently and unhurriedly." - - How to Grow and Produce Your Own Food, 1946, Oldhams Press Ltd., London

I see a common thread among the many "my chickens are friendly" posts - the chickens are treated 'gently and unhurriedly.'
I still agree with John Henderson, in that chickens that do not shun human contact give every appearance of comradeship. Whether that is genuine or not is in the mind of the of the human, I suppose. Which is where it matters most, when you think about it

I do have strange chickens, although I don't drink, and I don't care if you do, when I go to sawing like with the table saw, miter saw or the circular saw, all my chickens come sit on the wood pile and watch just to see what I'm up too. They sit like black birds on a power line.

And the girls around here don't hear anything but Bluegrass. It fits their style better, and mine too.

Not to do with chickens, when I was younger I did know a ball player we had got a tad woozie one night at graduation and got an alligator drunk. That was strange looking. He was about a four footer.