Pullet soon going to be a 'Spank It' !

[Ascholten]

She's being an absolute pest, but adorable!
She just wants to sit on my shoulder or my back! Every time I bend over to do something, pick up their water dish, grab some plants, get some veggies, she hops right up on my back then moves to my shoulder !

once there she wants to play with my hair, play with my beard, nibble / pick at my eyebrows (im assuming she's preening me?? ).

I had absolutely NO IDEA !! that a 14 week old chicken could already FLY !! I see her and her companion, she's a barred rock, the other, a black, something, I bought both on the same day, flapping their wings and hopping up like they are training to fly etc. But then she took off and probably flew 30 to 40 feet like 4 to 5 feet off the ground and landed on the lawnmower seat, then promptly hopped right off that and right onto my arm/ shoulder. I do NOT want to trim any wings because she's small yet, very small, and I want her to be able to defend herself as much as possible in case... well. anything were to call for it. The quick fix would be to do like with the cockatoo and trim the nails so she's not scratching me up, but you can't do that with a chicken, AFAIK, they use their nails for too much... including foraging and Im assuming, (maybe incorrectly) that filing them down would be a very bad thing???

At what age do chickens learn to fly? Seriously this seemed awful young to me. I keep putting her down and saying, NO ! (like they listen ) but she wants to keep hopping up on me. The cockatoo would have had his birdonka donk swatted once or twice already but I just can't do that to a little chickie. I like that they trust me, and the attention of course, but Im NOT a perch !! or maybe I need to understand that, yes aaron, you ARE a perch now.

What also just befuddles me is, she's so, 'pushy' with me, not aggressive, just assertive, yet when it comes to the older girls, so timid and afraid yet. Im like, go kick their asses !!! you want to eat with them TELL THEM !! She don't listen then either The one older lady, Captain Fluffy got her nose a bit bent because of all the attention the little one is getting. She'll actually moan a bit and walk around in circles around us, 'grumbling' heh. There is no bullying though, THAT is the golden thing above all. I had an issue with a real nasty hen a few years ago that almost killed a young one, so that is a huge worry that is good not to have.

Hopefully she grows out of the clingy stage. Is that a thing? or do I have another velcro pest now?

Aaron

 

[Ascholten]

This darned bird nearly cost me 10 years of my life yesterday.
She follows me everywhere it seems. I come out side she comes running.
It was later at night, I was getting them tucked in for the night, also planned on sleeping in a bit later since I was going to stay up a bit later so threw food out so they didn't bother me in the morning, they were already fed.

I go out, check on them, ok they are in the coop, go back inside close the door lock it, close the curtain, and go sit down and kick back in my easy chair, watching movies.

THIS LITTLE BRAT, without my knowledge snuck in behind me when I was coming in the door, must have ran under the table or something because I sure as hell didn't see her! Picture me laying back on my chair watching tv ALL ALONE.... EXPECTING TO BE ALL ALONE... next thing I know this damned chicken jumps up on my lap in the chair !! My back is sore as hell now, pretty sure I pulled something when I jumped straight OUT of that chair.

She was unceremoniously shown right back OUT the door.

What is with her?
I do NOT need a house chicken, seriously I do NOT. I don't know how you'd even begin to keep that clean? I could not see her being happy in an inside cage, and the other one, I have no idea how that would go. Maybe I should introduce these two in an open area see what they do with each other. NO...its bad enough playing dodge the squatter outside when I try to move around, I am NOT going to play that inside too !!

Aaron

 

[Ascholten]

I have a 5 week old Speckled Sussex that can fly three feet straight up. She's been fun to find all sorts of places she shouldn't be!

And a 16 week old clingy EE. That constantly landing on your back when you bend over is cute but annoying.

Yes, it is. The novelty of the cute wears off very fast, and the reality of the annoying can set in fairly fast. That's another worry is I don't want to start finding her on the roof, over the fence, god forbid, over the fence and on a neighbors car or something.... etc..

aaron

 

[rosemarythyme]

Are you sure it's a girl?

Personally I would push her off every time she tried to land on me. I pick up chickens, chickens don't pick up on me.

 

[Ascholten]

snip-cluck

I should get a herd of these things and bring them to schools and 4H clubs, to interact with the kids. The moment you bend down, kneel,sit, or otherwise create a chair.. you got company.

 

[Stacaroni]

I have a 5 week old Speckled Sussex that can fly three feet straight up. She's been fun to find all sorts of places she shouldn't be!

And a 16 week old clingy EE. That constantly landing on your back when you bend over is cute but annoying.

 

[Stacaroni]

Three of mine were on the wrong side of our fence when I went out the other day. It seems there wasn't much of interest in the neighbor's immaculate, empty yard. They haven't been back BUT I'm still in the process of relocating their house to prevent that and other heinous infractions. Who knew chickens were such agents of chaos???

 

[Ascholten]

Ive only ever found my birds over the fence 2 times. Once a hawk chased them and they took off in all directions and 2 went over the fence, and subsequently hid in the herb / bush patch by my front door..and ate a bunch of stuff they had no business eating. The other time I was mowing and left the gate a bit too far ajar and they wandered out. i was talking to the neighbor who pointed them out to me and I said oh no, walked over there said, you get your butts back in side NOW. They looked at me, I clicked my tongue (the i got a snack sound) they came running over, I just scooped them right up, scolded them as i walked them back to the fence, plopped them on the other side and closed the gate. My neighbor got such a kick out of that but I didn't tell him my secret

Aaron

 

[Ascholten]

Three of mine were on the wrong side of our fence when I went out the other day. It seems there wasn't much of interest in the neighbor's immaculate, empty yard. They haven't been back BUT I'm still in the process of relocating their house to prevent that and other heinous infractions. Who knew chickens were such agents of chaos???

As funny as it sounds, all it takes is one jerk neighbor and it actually CAN cause all sorts of woes and chaos. Never know who's a Karen until the screeching starts.

Aaron

 

[Ascholten]

I was told it was a girl. There is no violence or challenging when she does this.
She's a barred rock, so not entirely sure on the breed if they are sexlinked or not. Hope she's a girl because it'd really suck to be a roo and I have to end up getting rid of him once the crowing starts.

Aaron