Maran friendliness

[berkeleysprings]

i bet almost all chickens that are hand raised are friendly but if raised by broody hen they will most likely be shy or fearful

 

[Krys109uk]

i bet almost all chickens that are hand raised are friendly but if raised by broody hen they will most likely be shy or fearful

When we first started breeding chickens (I was a waterfowl person first

). My son, then aged 11, didn't ike duck eggs thus was given some chickens by a neighbour. When he wanted we incubated our first batch of chickens, all crossbreeds; we petted & handled all the chickies. They grew up tame. ......My son's favourite chick, a pullet, was a dear family pet for a good 7 or 8 years. In time some of the very tame cockerels when adult became aggressive towards my youngest children, who were toddlers at the time.​

 

[Solsken Farm]

Quote:
When we first started breeding chickens (I was a waterfowl person first

). My son, then aged 11, didn't ike duck eggs thus was given some chickens by a neighbour. When he wanted we incubated our first batch of chickens, all crossbreeds; we petted & handled all the chickies. They grew up tame. ......My son's favourite chick, a pullet, was a dear family pet for a good 7 or 8 years. In time some of the very tame cockerels when adult became aggressive towards my youngest children, who were toddlers at the time.

Yep, we have had the same experience. Our mean roo hatched out 24 hours before the rest of his hatch. He came running to our hand and screamed for us in that time and would always seek us out as a chick. As a young cockerel my 3 children held him and fed him every day last summer. He was just a doll. When he turned about 9 months, he became mean. And still will take an opportunity to try to attack. It is our only mean rooster, but he is a case in point.....It is a shame, he guards the girls well and does a good job.

 

[Crunchie]

Quote:
This. My experience has been similar. My Marans hens are easy-going and inquisitive, but they don't seek attention (though they will seek you out for a few sunflower seeds

)

In my experience the roosters are very, very good flock protectors--which doesn't always make for a child-friendly chicken. My Marans won't chase you down just for the sport of spurring you, but if they don't like what you are doing around their ladies, they will get you--quickly, and they are serious about it. The one Marans rooster I handled often (my first Marans) is truly aggressive. He does not get to free range anymore.

I know a few folks who believe that handling a rooster does nothing more than cause them to see you as another chicken, and as such will treat you as another chicken who needs to put in its place once they reach maturity. Maybe it's just coincidence, but the other Marans roosters I have were not handled at all, and they are generally tolerant and well-behaved unless something gets them spun up and they feel threatened.