Hi!! I have two hens, 9 weeks old and raised together from a week old. An Ameraucana and a Barred Rock. The Barred Rock is no doubt the leader. First to try anything new, to eat, etc etc. I am wondering about their behaviors though. My Barred Rock is the tamer of the two.. the Ameraucana squawks like crazy when you pick her up but after a minute she's fine. However, I'm noticing that lately the Barred Rock is starting to act the same way whereas before she never seemed to mind?? Do they mimic one another perhaps?? Also it's hilarious when I pick up my Barred Rock, "Daisy", my Ameraucana, "Olivia", will start screaming and carrying on like I'm gonna kill Daisy or something!!?? It's like she wants her "sister" back!! I'm also wanting them to get used to being held around the belly/chest area but they start flapping their wings and protesting. They don't really mind perching on your arm. I just wanna cuddle them though!!?? ( Do they go thru maybe some phases where they get a little wild like this then maybe mellow as they get older or am I stuck with two hens who have just decided to get "untame" instead of "tamer" as they grow older?? I just thought since I've had them and held them from a week old.. that they'd ALWAYS have been good about being held?? I got them strictly as "pets"!! Thanks.. any insight as to the behaviors of these two breeds would be greatly appreciated as well as any advice as to how to get them to succumb to being held/cuddled a little more also appreciated!!
They might get tamer after they lay. I say this because one of my silkies just started laying and she is a COMPLETELY different bird now. Before laying she ran from me.squaked like crazy when I picked her up and generally didn't like being touched. Now she jumps on my arm wants to be held and petted and does not make a sound or fuss when held . She changed instantly after laying! I thought she was always going to be fussy but I was wrong. After laying she turned into a teddy bear! My other birds have always been loving but not her now since laying she changed over night! So hopefully after your girls lay they will settle down. I know mine sure did! Now ALL my birds love to be handled. I never thought she would change like she did but right after her first egg she was a different bird. Now I'm not sure of the temperment of your breed but hopefully after laying they will change too . It's like I have a new bird! So don't give up hope. Hope this helps. Best wishes
Thank you.. it did!! They're NOT by any means wild. In fact after they quit squawking they actually seem to enjoy being petted..esp Daisy my Barred Rock. She's even fallen asleep!! The Ameraucana also calms right down usually as well. What they DON'T like though is being held around their chest like.. they keep trying to flap their wings for a bit until they finally just settle down!! Also once I've been outside with them and let them wander some, THEN they don't seem to mind barely at all being picked up?? It's almost like they forget from one day to the next?? I'm TRULY praying that they'll TOTALLY calm down and enjoy being held and petted!!
( Do they go thru maybe some phases where they get a little wild like this then maybe mellow as they get older or am I stuck with two hens who have just decided to get "untame" instead of "tamer" as they grow older?? I just thought since I've had them and held them from a week old.. that they'd ALWAYS have been good about being held?? I got them strictly as "pets"!! Thanks.. any insight as to the behaviors of these two breeds would be greatly appreciated as well as any advice as to how to get them to succumb to being held/cuddled a little more also appreciated!!
