Mother Hen

[Chicorychick]

Raising chicks is not new to me, but last night I had a strange experience. I started using the mama heat cave a few weeks ago with a new batch of chicks (plus 3 3 week old bantams). When they were a couple of weeks old I moved them and the heat cave (which they preferred to sit on top of instead of going under even though I raised it up to fit their growing needs) outside to the miniature coop and brooded them there. They are now 5 weeks old and of course running and flying all over the place. I even have been letting them them out of the enclosed run for supervised free ranging. They finally learned to use the ramp at night to go to bed instead of huddling in a corner of the run until I put them in the coop to lock them up for the night.

Last night I decided to see if they would go into the run and up the ramp into the coop on their own from “free ranging”. The sun started to set and instead of going into the run they jumped on me to roost. I have never had that happen before. Yes, I’ve had chickens jump on me to be pet and for food but never to go sleep on at night.

Has anyone else had that experience? Is this because I imprinted on them as their mama since they didn’t have the blinding light of the heat lamp? I thought it was cute but ended up having to push them off and put them in their run to go to bed. . Just wondering what others have experienced.

 

[50-45-1]

Yes, they view you as safe and comforting, and it would not supprise me they did this.
Glad they are going in the coop on there own already.
Good job!

 

[Chicorychick]

Yes, they view you as safe and comforting, and it would not supprise me they did this.
Glad they are going in the coop on there own already.
Good job!

Thank you!

 

[aart]

Yes, I've had chicks run to me when scared.