She doesn't seem to care for semi feral free range. She's more into cuddles and chats. I think that's a very sensible preference.The morning Fat Bird carry and cuddle is continuing.
I'm a bit torn between enjoying doing it and whether or not it is good for Fat Bird in the long run. It's hardly semi feral free range chicken keeping.
When I opened up this morning all Tribe 1 tumbled out of the human door and headed off to the duck sheds for breakfast. Even Treacle, who normally gets a bit of human herding in before joining the others gave up on moving me after a couple of attempts.
Fat Bird had jumped down from the roost bar and just stood at the edge of the open door looking at me and waiting.
I did say 'you don't really want my horrid featherless hands all over you lovely feathers do you?' but she still stood there. I went and let the sheep out and Fat Bird did a bit of a muted escort call.
She was still stood there when I went back to the coop.
I put my hands down low as I do to pick her up but didn't actually touch her, giving her the chance to avoid me if she wanted. She partly raised herself like a human on tip toes expecting the lift.
I carried her in the end. She sat on my hand happily burbling away and when I put her down next to Cillin by the food, no post mating shake.
As for making it work with your ethos, you're supporting her in her own lifestyle choices, which is the same way you treat the other chooks. So you're good!
Especially my older girls. It's quite mad. They will come towards me if they have got out calling greetings & then squat & wait to be lifted back over the fence. No feather shake. Despite hand feeding Lottie I don't usually handle her; she hops up on my knee of her own accord. I don't stoke her or anything. She has never squatted for me & never shakes her feathers.
