My Chickens Mob Us - It's Creepy!

[Usedtowanna]

Our 8-week-old barred rock hens have a behavior we've never experienced before in our previous chickens. We go to the coop in the a.m. to let them out to free range. I dump a few big scoops of chicken food out in view of them outside the door, then I step back and open the door. Instead of running to the food, they run to me. They swarm SO closely, I almost fall. There are 48 of them so it's overwhelming and creepy. I end up gently kicking them away. Is there a way to break this behavior? I don't want letting them out to be a scary experience for me OR my kids.

 

[WIchickMama]

Do they just run and gather at your feet? Are they pecking? Can they see the food when you are putting it down or it is just visible when they come out?

 

[3KillerBs]

They have come to worship the Giant Who Brings Food.

I can barely walk when I first go into my coop.

 

[SourRoses]

We have a big, wide plastic rake we use as a chicken shoo'er when rounding up chooks.
Just walking around doesn't work so well as they dart around human legs like they don't matter.
But the rake matters. I have never needed to touch them with it or wave it around, in fact I move quite slow to avoid frightening them. The size alone is intimidating enough, and being able to extend it far away from me to cut the birds off really helps.

I would highly recommend such a tool as long as you have the patience to only use it as much as necessary.

 

[Usedtowanna]

We have a big, wide plastic rake we use as a chicken shoo'er when rounding up chooks.
Just walking around doesn't work so well as they dart around human legs like they don't matter.
But the rake matters. I have never needed to touch them with it or wave it around, in fact I move quite slow to avoid frightening them. The size alone is intimidating enough, and being able to extend it far away from me to cut the birds off really helps.

I would highly recommend such a tool as long as you have the patience to only use it as much as necessary.

Ooh, I like this idea!

 

[Usedtowanna]

Do they just run and gather at your feet? Are they pecking? Can they see the food when you are putting it down or it is just visible when they come out?

Mostly just gather, though I don't appreciate pecking so I don't give them a chance to do it. I feel like they would if given a chance. They do see me dump out the food.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

They probably see you as their mother. 48 can be overwhelming. I've been there. I have a pole with a yellow metal crook on it that I carry with me. It used to be a cheap kids garden hoe but the blade busted off long ago. I tap on the food with it if my chickens are too focused on me. They seem to think it is my "beak", and go where I am tapping.
If they get out, and I need to put them away and the standard handful of feed doesn't work, I get my hooked pole out and bounce it on the ground in front of them while they follow it.

It may be conditioning from their ranging time. I use it to break up the soil in my garden and my chickens come with me when I do that, so "hooked pole" = "food" to the chickens here.
I like the chicken shooing rake idea another user mentioned too.

 

[3KillerBs]

I don't shoo mine. I walk where I wish to walk and they've learned to get out from under my feet (I have stepped on toes (or foot feathers,) from time to time but never hurt them doing it).

It's probably hilarious to an observer to see me wading through birds saying, "Pardon me. Excuse me. Pardon me. Excuse me."

 

[Coops Dad]

I think they associate us with food. Our RIRs do that to me but not to my wife because she kicks them out of the way "gently" lol. I walk through them without raising my feet, almost shuffling but normal length strides. Sometimes I step on a toe or whatnot.

One of our RIRs knows the food comes out of a barrel so, when I take off the top to scoop some out, she tries to fly up and jump into it.

They're not as dumb as some folks think.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I don't shoo mine. I walk where I wish to walk and they've learned to get out from under my feet (I have stepped on toes (or foot feathers,) from time to time but never hurt them doing it).

It's probably hilarious to an observer to see me wading through birds saying, "Pardon me. Excuse me. Pardon me. Excuse me."

So glad I am not the only one that says things like that!



@Usedtowanna, can you try opening the door THEN putting the feed down.

While they may initially still swarm you they may be more easily redirected when others in their group head to the feed. It only takes ONE or TWO to show interest in it and the others will follow suit. That would make your exit easier.