One of my hens spends a good part of the day with our dog.

[Atrayu]

I justed wanted to share that recently, one of our hens spends a good amount of time following our dog around. She still gets along with the other hens and is not at the bottom of the pecking order at all, but for some reason just has this unusual bond with our female Blue Heeler. The dog doesn't mind at all and sometimes when the dog is sitting at the porch or napping, there is Chickitata next to her. The other day a flock of wild turkeys came into the property and Sydney, our dog, chased after them (her job is to protect the property from outiside critters) and Chickitita followed her, clucking away. I wish I had recorded it. It was hilarious.

I am new at raising chickens and didn't know if this behavior was unusual or if there are times when a hen does their own thing and strays from the flock to bond with an other animal or person. Again, she doesn't seem to have any issues with the other girls, she just prefers hanging with our dog.

Thanks in advance to any comments or shared experiences!

Mark


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I am the care taker of 3 Buff Orpingtons: Buffy (the Grasshopper Slayer), Big Momma and Linda Lu; 3 Gold Stars: Carol Ann, Chititata and Melba; 5 RIRs: Wilma, Lucy, Ruby Rae, Dawn and Shy; 3 Austalorps: Phoenix, Shaneequa and Shanaynay; 2 Americaunas: Eloise and Beatrice; and 3 Barred Rock: Betty, Bonita, and BeBe

 

[Impress]

Tee hee, your dog is training her to be a guard chicken!

 

[madgabmomma]

That is too cute!

 

[chicmom]

Isn't it funny how animals become friends? I watched a show on animal planet where a dog was friends with an elephant, and then there was a lion, tiger and a bear who were good friends. A cat was friends with a chimpanzee......

So I guess a chicken can be a dog's friend! LOL

 

[Atrayu]

Thanks for the comments. Its good to hear that my hen's behavior is not too strange.

 

[Springthing]

I would love to see that, too bad, like you said, you weren't able to record it. You might have to put up a Beware of Chicken sign if this continues!

 

[Kaceyx73]

Not strange at all...

Over the years, I have watched yard cats make the strangest of friends. Once, after "thinking" they were stalking a big rooster, I saw them running and chasing and being chased by the big fella. I had a cat that used to climb out limbs to get onto the roof, and then not be able to get down. After tiring of retrieving the ladder night after night, I ended up leaving it there. After hearing a commotion on the roof, I stood by the ladder calling the cat. "Cept it wasn't the cat by himself. There were 3 very large possums up there, all running and playing with the cat. Now that I have chickens, the cats would love to get into the run to play with them too. I don't, mainly cause I don't want them around any future chicks.

 

[brahmakid11]

they might have kids!!! lol