**Rhode Island Red** roo...? help please.

[tdgill]

There's still hope Arookar! I think they will mellow out a bit as they mature. Especially when they start squatting! lol. Also, even my newest batch that was a month old when I bought them, now at 5 months will jump up on the arm of the chair I am sitting on to visit. And when I lock them up at nite I am able to pet them or pick them up. Often, I will get them on my arm like a pet parakeet by putting my forearm under their chest and gently and slowly push till they pick their feet up and climb on. and while on the roosts, I have also started sliding my hand under their feet from behind them to pick them up....works pretty good

 

[lizch]

Arookar,

I'm noticing that my hens are getting ever friendlier as they get older. When they were around 15 weeks, I worried that my attempts at socialization hadn't worked. They didn't seem to recognize me or be willing to put up with much handling. Now they're 24 weeks (2 laying, 4 more looking very close) and follow me around the yard. If I sit down, they all come over and peck around me. They're still not exactly lap chickens (nor do I necessarily want them to be) but they definitely know me and are a pleasure to be around.

 

[Arookar]

Well that's heartening. I hope they do grow more friendly with age. There are 4 or 5 of them that are first out in the morning, first to come over to the fence when I approach with the "treat" bucket, and will actually eat out of my hand if it's something good (ouch!

) and 2 of them will actually jump up on my knee and look me in the eye while I sit in their yard on my little stool- but only if I don't move my hands, and none of them will let me touch them or catch them easily.

 

[mstrrlm]

10-4 conformation on eggs in the road or down it anyway