Personality changes

[Leo1]

I've grown quite attached to my little lovelies and have noticed beside the squatting and increased vocalizations an extreme personality change happening as they have started to lay. They are getting spastic and have become COMPLETELY different birds. They used to enjoy hanging with me, now it's like they're in a totally different world. Will this pass as they get more used to laying or do have have to mourn the lost of my sweeties. Don't get me wrong I still love them, but I miss the old personalities!

 

[flowergirl60]

Mine have totally changed as well. No more hopping on my lap. They are molting now and just plain grumpy. It didn't pass for me. I miss the niceness too.

 

[chicmom]

Maybe it depends on the breed, because I've found that some of my hens got ALOT friendlier whe they approached laying age. I have one that never let me touch her (and I hatched her), but now she will squat in front of me and I can even pic her up.....

Use food and treats as bribes to get closer to them.....It will help.

Sharon

 

[auto5man]

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X2. I have found this true as well, my girls have gotten much friendlier as well. The treat thing is key too. Now when I open the door to go outside they come running (and flying, lol) from all over the yard expecting treats. If I sit in the lawn chair they even fly up to my lap to eat scratch out of my hand. The skittish ones had to be gradually won over to hand feeding, then scratching their chins while eating from my hand, then not scared of being petted. But I noticed them get much friendlier and less skittish as they started laying. Another factor that seemed to affect flock behavior....the Roos. Two of my hens turned into roosters, as the girls started laying the Roos of course started practicing and generally acting more and more like Roos...after I gave them away the whole flock seemed calmer and more close knit. Maybe b/c they no longer were subject to being grabbed by the neck and pounced on at the drop of a hat!

 

[maggiec1951]

My girls are just about to start laying and there are some definite changes afoot. Out of 5 hens, I have always had 3 that readily get on my lap, shoulders and if I'm bent over in the run - my back. As they have free ranged more and gotten older the 3 don't seem to want to be on my lap but will still let me pet them. Yesterday, I went into the run with my chair and it took them a while to warm back up but eventually they all 3 did - even my little mystery bantam flew up a couple of times and she has always been timid; curious but timid. Both Lt Brahmas and 1 Black Australorp are the friendliest. I had 1 BA and 1 LB on my lap when out of nowhere the other LB flew up and got extremely aggressive with the others as if not wanting them on my lap. The other 2 held on desperately pulling my hair and glasses off. She would not let the others back up at all. Since it was close to bed time for them I started to clean up in the run and put their food away (take it in every night 'cause the rats get fat on it). Blondie (the aggressor) didn't want to go to bed and kept coming back out of the coop to see me - it took several minutes to get her to stay in the coop long enough for me to close the door. I looked a bit like I had been in a bar fight when I came out; hair everywhere, glasses askew and a WTH look on my face. Never have I had a possessive chicken before. Anyone else?

 

[Leo1]

I raised my guys from day old. I've always been mom and they were always so happy to see me. Now it's like dealing with human teenagers. At first I thought it was because they didn't really know what was going on and were upset about things. It's been about a week since one started to lay and a few days since the other. I want my sweet little girls back

 

[moodlymoo]

I noticed a month or so before my girls started to lay they turned into major grumps but once the laying started they calmed down a ton. IDK I think it is different for every bird

 

[bobbieschicks]

It's hormonal - much like teenagers changing. My Snow White (22 week old White Leghorn) wouldn't let me get near her before she started laying. Now she will at least stand relatively still when I'm around. I'm hoping she'll get even more tame as she continues to lay. She just started on Thanksgiving Day.

 

[stormylady]

I think that its just that they are going through alot of biological changes, growing up, leaving the nest so to speak, but I think that the majority of them will settle back down.
Treats are very high on there list of priorities, LOL.
My girls all come running to me, and squat for me even though they have been laying for along time and they have Roosters. I do also think that the amount of cuddliness is related in a big way to the breed.
At my house the SS are the friendliest birds always wanting to be underfoot and talking to me, they never seemed to go through any changes when they started to lay, on the other hand the Leghorn (Blossom) and her 4 daughters ,2 mixed with Orp. and 2 mixed with CMs , they are not cuddly at all, they are friendly and will eat out of your hand, but as far as petting and holding they just aren't having any of that, but as young birds they were all about the hands on treatment.

 

[Cebarmlds]

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