The chicken and horse connection

[sally4500]

Hello all,
I have a hen who loves to hang out by horse's head while he grazes. She'll just walk around but not really peck at much. I thought maybe she was picking up the grass that was falling out of his mouth as he ate. I have seen little birds do the same thing around them, but never knew why.

Does anyone have a hen that does this? I would love to know what it means!

 

[allpeepedout]

I think a grazing horse stirs up bugs for the birds to eat.

 

[Pairie Faring]

I used to work for a horse trainer and we would sometimes use them as companions for nervous horses . they worked great!

 

[hennyannie]

Quote:
I know my horses sometimes pull up grass so I bet that is why she is closely watching, to see if they pull up bugs. Smart girl I'd say.

 

[sally4500]

Now THAT totally makes sense. We all know how much our girls love the creepy crawleys. She is probably watching and waiting for the good stuff, whatever that may be. Cool, very cool.

 

[tryingtohaveitall]

Interesting. You learn something new every day. I knew my girls loved to hang out in the neighbor's horse pasture but I never knew why. Thanks!

 

[spiritdance]

I think they form attachments too, though. I have a roo that simply will not stay away from my WH. I have three horses and three donkeys in the pasture, but Red always hangs with the same horse, and even if Bud is just standing in the shade not even grazing, Red is right there. It's really funny, too, because we have a goat that's obsessed with the same horse. I guess Studly Budly just has real animal charisma ....

 

[mariel37]

I bet it's the stirring up bugs thing.

I have 8 horses, and many times there are flocks of those long beaked white birds (have no idea what they are) walking closely to the horses. They'll stay for hours on end.

 

[YYZ]

Learn something everyday on here!
I had a hen that did the same thing actually.

 

[wren]

Some horses like chickens. Makes the horses less spooky around birds too.