owner obsessed hens

[Xtineart]

Hi,

I've 2 rescue ex commercial barn hens, and they are the loveliest beasties in the world but they are obsessed with me. Proper stalker fatal attraction obsessed. They follow me everywhere, cry when I go out of sight of them (and purr when I return). During the day if I leave them to free-range, instead of pecking about in the lovely large free range garden they have all to themselves, they come in and sit huddled against the conservatory door staring into the house. They'll stay there all day sometimes and just stare in and occasionally cry for attention. If I open the door and let them in the house (they know they aren't really allowed) they trot in and sit at my feet of on my lap and fluff themselves and start to preen as though they are only really comfortable when I'm with them.

I know I am he great food god, but this is not just about food. They know when they get their 'breakfast' and they know treats are given in the garden and they get a 'sweeeties' call to announce it. They just seem overly bonded to me. In some ways it's nice that they are friendly but from time to time I have to go away for work for the day and it's strange to think that they just sit on the doorstep all day waiting on me coming back (I can tell they do as the piles of chicken poo give the game away). I'm concerned how they'll act if I go on a holiday for more than a day and that they aren't really acting like I assume chickens should.

Are they happy? How can I get them interested in being chickens rather than lap-dogs?

 

[outdoorbunny]

Maybe they feel safe with you around. Were they in a pen with several hens in the past? I think chickens feel safer in numbers. Maybe just by getting another hen or a rooster will help them feel secure while roaming the garden. Plus having freedom is new to them. They just may need time to adjust.

 

[Xtineart]

I imagine they were in really cramped conditions before, I've seen pics from similar rescue sites, and they are cooped up in a windowless shed with so many hens they dont have room to move. I know the free ranging thing is totally new to them and I'm having to try to teach them to scratch but I just thought they'd be a lot more independent as they are unlikely to have had much human contact in their former life.