Is Blooie One Chicken Shy of a Flock?

[Blooie]

Okay, here's the deal. I read over and over again about chickens sitting on laps, coming when they are called, snuggling down for a little TV time with their owners, riding around on shoulders - and mine don't do any of that. Matter of fact, I don't want them to do those things. Am I nuts?

I have solid, healthy chickens. I can pick them up if I need to check something. But I'm just as happy to put them back down, and they're happy to be put back down, believe me. I don't really want them eating out of my hand - I've felt the pain of a hard peck in the palm of my hand and I don't like it much. I like the fact that when I take the day's scrap bucket out they come to see what I have but they don't mob my feet until I trip. When I got out to gather eggs, they greet me at the door to the coop, see if I have anything, then go back about the business of being chickens, totally ignoring me. I like that, too. When I let them out to run around the yard, they split up in a few directions and focus on what they're doing rather than focusing on me. That's just fine. They all have names, and I know their personalities. Mathilda is quiet and shy. She hangs back to see what the others are doing and then joins in. Daphne is the flock complainer. She yells at one and all, but isn't aggressive. Gladys is just sweet. She watches everything and minds her own business. Scout - well, Scout is one of a kind. He's a good roo as far as doing roo-ey things, but he's getting a little aggressive toward the girls and bears close watching. As much time and effort as I put into saving him, I have no problem culling him if I have to. And so it goes - 10 adult chickens, 15 Littles and 8 Tinys, and not a real pet in the bunch.

So what is it about me that, as much as I like having chickens, I don't care if they like me back? To me it's okay if they ignore me. I take very good care of them, and in return they provide me with good, fresh eggs, an occasional bar-be-que, and lots of entertainment. I giggle at their antics, I worry when one is sick or hurt, and I take on the task of protecting them very seriously. But I just don't care that they don't fawn all over me. I don't want to "tame" them - I just want to raise them.

I can't be the only one who doesn't care if my feathered friends are "just chickens" instead of house chickens or lap pets. Not that I think those who do enjoy that relationship with their chickens is odd - I really don't. Folks who can put their chickens in the basket of their bicycles and take them for a ride probably have more fun with them than I do with mine. But I like the way things are here at Oleo Acres. So do I love my chickens less than other people love theirs? Well, truth is if you've ever read my posts you know that I always say that I "like" my chickens. I love my hubby, my kids and grand kids, my great grandkids, and my extended family. I like my chickens. Am I nuts?

 

[cavemanrich]

You are just a NORMAL PERSON. My chickens are pets. I Luv them, I LOVE my family. See the difference,???
JUST KEEP DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

WISHING YOU BEST.

 

[Blooie]

Aww, thanks! See, I think I'm normal too. I also think that folks who have a unique relationship with their chickens are normal, too. Must be true - normal is what's normal for you!

 

[Spartan22]

I've read some of your comments/blogs on different threads. I find them very interesting and informative some I agree some I don't. But mostly you had earned my respect, I kind of wonder sometimes, is this lady a journalist, a retired teacher or just a person that is full of it (wisdom LOL).
This is my first year with chickens, and I've absorbed a lot of good stuff from quite a few people from BYC. I will say people with chicken are nuts, as you put it. I don't name my chickens as they don't respond to it (what's the point)Though my kids did. I spend time w/ my chickens, I keep them cleaned (water,food,poop removal) everyday and thoroughly cleaned them once a week. Will it get old? (Maybe yes, maybe not). I did invest time and money on them and so I expected something in return(eggs, meat, entertainment, maybe to be liked? I don't know, they're chickens) I don't love them they're not my kids nor my family(is it harsh?) but I like my chickens, as I like my cars, my lawn, my home and everything else I own that I take care of willingly and wholeheartedly and being a good steward of. Do I treat them like my friends? NO, I don't drink and dine with them, I make sure they are comfortable and happy, But I lost sleeps sometimes worrying about if they are warm enough or cool enough or have enough food or clean water, proper exercise, no parasites nor illnesses. To sum up, I think we are nuts owning pets or flocks. We even talk and blog and argue about them.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Okay, here's the deal. I read over and over again about chickens sitting on laps, coming when they are called, snuggling down for a little TV time with their owners, riding around on shoulders - and mine don't do any of that. Matter of fact, I don't want them to do those things. Am I nuts?

I have solid, healthy chickens. I can pick them up if I need to check something. But I'm just as happy to put them back down, and they're happy to be put back down, believe me. I don't really want them eating out of my hand - I've felt the pain of a hard peck in the palm of my hand and I don't like it much. I like the fact that when I take the day's scrap bucket out they come to see what I have but they don't mob my feet until I trip. When I got out to gather eggs, they greet me at the door to the coop, see if I have anything, then go back about the business of being chickens, totally ignoring me. I like that, too. When I let them out to run around the yard, they split up in a few directions and focus on what they're doing rather than focusing on me. That's just fine. They all have names, and I know their personalities. Mathilda is quiet and shy. She hangs back to see what the others are doing and then joins in. Daphne is the flock complainer. She yells at one and all, but isn't aggressive. Gladys is just sweet. She watches everything and minds her own business. Scout - well, Scout is one of a kind. He's a good roo as far as doing roo-ey things, but he's getting a little aggressive toward the girls and bears close watching. As much time and effort as I put into saving him, I have no problem culling him if I have to. And so it goes - 10 adult chickens, 15 Littles and 8 Tinys, and not a real pet in the bunch.

So what is it about me that, as much as I like having chickens, I don't care if they like me back? To me it's okay if they ignore me. I take very good care of them, and in return they provide me with good, fresh eggs, an occasional bar-be-que, and lots of entertainment. I giggle at their antics, I worry when one is sick or hurt, and I take on the task of protecting them very seriously. But I just don't care that they don't fawn all over me. I don't want to "tame" them - I just want to raise them.

I can't be the only one who doesn't care if my feathered friends are "just chickens" instead of house chickens or lap pets. Not that I think those who do enjoy that relationship with their chickens is odd - I really don't. Folks who can put their chickens in the basket of their bicycles and take them for a ride probably have more fun with them than I do with mine. But I like the way things are here at Oleo Acres. So do I love my chickens less than other people love theirs? Well, truth is if you've ever read my posts you know that I always say that I "like" my chickens. I love my hubby, my kids and grand kids, my great grandkids, and my extended family. I like my chickens. Am I nuts?

There's not a thing wrong with you and you are not nuts (and neither are those on the other side of the equation)- nor are you alone.
Admittedly, I do have two chickens (Hazel and Nugget) who do like to "play parrot" now and again on my shoulder - and the same two (plus a couple out of our 22) will also gladly hop in your lap if you sit still long enough (but they leave when they discover you don't have treats) - I actually made mention in another thread that there are four "sacred chickens" in our flock - those who will live out their lives with us - but the rest truly are "just chickens" - they have names, they have personalities and we provide them the same care that we do those other four, but they are "just chickens". Our surprise roo last year started being a jerk - he is no longer in the flock, his three sons (go figure, hatch 5 and get 3 cockerels) went with him.....I didn't bat an eye or hesitate for a minute. This fall, 3-5 of our big girls will be leaving the flock - no hesitation in doing that.

 

[donrae]

I'm totally with you. In fact, I really don't like to touch my birds. I don't like the sensation of feathers. I'll handle them when I need to, but not otherwise. Most of my birds don't have names, and if one tried to fly up on my shoulder I'd knock it away. Just the difference between pets and livestock. We just got two weaner pigs, they don't get names or loved on either. They're food.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

The longer I have chickens the less I am interested in treating them as pets. I'm also less and less interested in discussing how to "pet" a chicken. In fact, the idea of treating chickens (or ducks) like pets makes me sad. I don't want to interfere in the time the flock spends outdoors doing chicken things.

That said, occasionally one of our birds will pick a particular person to be friendly with. We like that, it makes that person feel special, but we certainly don't encourage it. It is usually a smart bird that will come close to get at food, or a shy bird that seems to be enjoying a bit of protection. But who really knows what they are thinking. They're usually way ahead of me.

 

[Blooie]

I certainly don't mean to imply that folks who enjoy having chickens as true pets - like lap sitting and cuddling - are in any way odd. I think it's kinda neat, and I'd love for granddaughter Katie to have a chicken who dotes on her like that. She has Agatha as "her" chicken, and she will pet her if one of us holds her. But there's no special bond other than the one in Katie's little mind, and that's fine with both her and Aggie. And I probably shouldn't have used the word "nuts", either. Not very flattering for either those of us who do, or those of us who don't, pamper the chickens. After all, I am the one who brought a chick in the house to live for a time and let him soak in a hot tub a couple of times a day. That Scout was one babied chick! Then there's my daughter, who has 22 ducks and 2 rock doves living in her house....and I do mean "living in her house" in every sense of the word. They have total freedom and respond to commands when she gives them. (That's more than she did for me growing up, but that's another story!

)

No, I was just sitting here thinking last night that maybe I'm missing something by not being more hands on with my chickens. Then I went out this morning to turn litter and gather eggs. Daphne yelled at me, as usual. Kat was sitting on a nest and growled at me. (Oh, please, don't let her be going broody!) Scout, he just ran the other way. And I smiled. Aside from cases of out and out neglect, there truly is no right or wrong way to care for these little critters, is there? And maybe that's the key to enjoying the raising of chickens.....most of them are perfectly willing to take their cues from us and be just the kind of chickens we never knew we always wanted.

*** Boy, I like this feature that lets you see when someone has posted while your perusing or writing - hey there, Leslie!!

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

*** Boy, I like this feature that lets you see when someone has posted while your perusing or writing - hey there, Leslie!!

Hey!!!

When I have time, I click on your name and sit and read some of your posts. Always a treat for me to get to do that!

I figure you must be doing well if you're getting chicks! That makes me smile.

 

[Blooie]

Hey!!!

When I have time, I click on your name and sit and read some of your posts. Always a treat for me to get to do that!

I figure you must be doing well if you're getting chicks! That makes me smile.

Couldn't have made it through last year without you and the others...I got a kick in the hiney when I needed it, a cheer when I earned it, and a hug when I needed it. Does friendship get any better than that?