Sometimes my chickens insist on eating treats from my hands only.. Does anyone else's chickens do th

Krah24

In the Brooder
6 Years
May 30, 2013
58
0
46
Sometimes when I give my hens bread, oats or other treats they won't eat it unless I offer it in my hands.
I'll drop it on the ground and they'll just stare at me making little noises.. I'll even point it out and they'll follow my finger to the treat, look at it and nudge it but then won't eat unless I pick it up and put it my hands.. How weird is that??
They don't always do this but they do it enough that I and others have taken notice of this behavior.
It doesn't bother me I'm just wondering if anyone else has seen this before?

Btw- it's only two of our hens that do this and one will do it more often than the other.
We got these two girls (the hand treaters) when they were chicks and started them in the house before letting them go outside.
My other 5 chickens were raised by our hens outside and they're very timid and won't come too close to us.
I'm wondering if this behavior from my two older hens is because of us taking care of them as chicks.. Just a thought!
 
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It must taste better,I have hens that love to eat from my hands.My Dh has gotten attached to one little hen that has been broody for a month and that is the only way she will eat treats.is from his hand.Spoiled girls.
smile.png
 
Haha maybe it does!
A little treat with some skin?
I agree, they're spoiled! :)
 
My girls like to eat out of my hands too.especially grapes... if I drop them on the ground they look at me as if to say ummm they're dirty now!!! If I leave them there the do eventually eat them all but not till I leave the coop!!LOL!!!
 
Yes, all the time. They are soooo spoiled! My Ameraucauna, who is still struggling to fit into the flock, as she was a recent rescue, insists on eating breakfast mash from my hands too!
 
That's exactly how my girls act too!
They won't eat what I toss on the ground until I leave! Funny!
My girls won't eat grapes though.
I've tried several times but they always look at me like I'm crazy for trying to feed them such things.
 
It's kind of cute though right?
Lol
I'm just glad my girls aren't the only spoiled chickens out there! :)
 
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I have to laugh at your stories- sounds like our spoiled chickens as well.

They prefer to eat treats from the hand, and tug my clothing for a treat. We have one chicken who loves to fly in the apple trees to eat her heart's desire of apples.


We could give the flock a whole dried sunflower, and they just look at us like... Now how is that thing going to feed me? But pop a few sunflowers into my hand, and presto change-o... land piranas gone amuck.
 
I have to laugh at your stories- sounds like our spoiled chickens as well. They prefer to eat treats from the hand, and tug my clothing for a treat. We have one chicken who loves to fly in the apple trees to eat her heart's desire of apples. We could give the flock a whole dried sunflower, and they just look at us like... Now how is that thing going to feed me? But pop a few sunflowers into my hand, and presto change-o... land piranas gone amuck.
Great pictures and good looking chickens! Who knew chickens can have so much personality!
 

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