My chicken is too friendly...

[Doubleuck]

- If this is not the correct forum please correct me. I wasn't sure where to post it-

I have a Barred Rock hen that I got when she was several days old. I raised her, along with her other chicken friend, and she is now about 8 weeks old. She has migrated to the coop outside where she is locked in at night and free range during the day. However, she's developed a bit of a problem.

I think she might be too friendly!

If she hears you come outside or anywhere near she runs to you, and then has to touch you. I often sit outside on my front porch and the second she realizes I am there she comes over and will not leave me alone until I let her sit on my shoulder or lap. She will even do this to complete strangers!

I brought her last week to a kids camp I was working. You would think a chicken wouldn't be a fan of 14 loud kids all wanting to pet, touch, and hold her, but she appears to love every second of it.

She has a need to be touching a human at all times and gets upset if you try to move her off you. Once you put her on the ground she will get right back up on you and continues this constantly.

It's starting to become a little annoying. Is there anything I can do to de-friendly her? I love her lots, but sometimes I just want to be left alone and you cannot be outside the house without her trying to touch you. Even doing yard work she tries to sit on your shoulder and holds on as you walk around.

Has anyone else had a chicken like this? Did it end up causing problems? Did they ever calm down from their human love affair?

 

[Loudawg11]

That sounds like a dream chicken!!! I wish I had one like that! I'm not a chicken expert but I am pretty sure she's never going to stop but wait for some one else to reply! If you want you could seperate her and treat her like she's sick but that would be just cruel considering how much she loves you!

 

[Doubleuck]

That sounds like a dream chicken!!! I wish I had one like that! I'm not a chicken expert but I am pretty sure she's never going to stop but wait for some one else to reply! If you want you could seperate her and treat her like she's sick but that would be just cruel considering how much she loves you!

I handled her a lot as a chick, but not thaaaatttt much. Every day or so (maybe 5x a week) I brought her outside with me for ten minutes or so or at least handled her a bit. But she just latched on! She wasn't like this until about week 6 or so.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

if your in a position, or interested, you could train her to be a comfort animal. Or find out if there are any in school farm programs she could be brought to... Sounds like she loves people enough she might be great with these types of things.

 

[aart]

Thank you for thinking about where to post your question,
a lot folks don't seem to bother,
and you picked the perfect place.

Yes, that is annoying and common with chicks that are handled and/or hand fed a lot when young.

You'll have to reprogram her to not do that by putting her down, repeatedly if necessary.
I just knock them off if they jump on me, they get the message pretty quick.
It doesn't hurt them and they get the message quicker if you startle them when they jump on you. It'll be a delicate balance between letting them on you just sometimes.
I still hand feed but don't want them on me....if one gets too assertive a 'finger peck' on the head can back them off.

They definitely should be dissuaded from jumping onto shoulders as a devastating peck in the eye takes just a blink of time.

 

[chickens really]

I have a Speckled Sussex that was never handled as a Chick and she is the most annoying Bird I have....She loves people and when company comes they all want to hand feed her...I never hand feed her...She jumps out of the mesh fencing and follows me around, clucking the entire time...Start chasing her off and as stated...Knock her down...Soon she won't be so sickening..