Why do my hens gather by the house

[JC05401]

We have four lovely hens who are about 7 months old. They were raised from chicks in a brooder in the back room of our house. Since then, they have all been outside for many months in their coop. We only provide food, treats and water in the coop area. When they are foraging they range all around our fenced yard, but when they are hanging out, they always come up on our deck and stand by the back door. Sometimes they peck the door. They do this several times a day. At first I would check their food and water when they did this, but it doesn't seem to correlate.

Anyone else have chickens who do this? Do they want to be with me? Are they remembering the warm brooder that used to be behind the door? It is annoying to us because they poop all over our deck, and there seem to be many more appealing places in the yard that are just as sheltered from wind. I realize that we could fence them in, but we really enjoy watching them scratch and graze in the yard, so for now we're willing to clean chicken poop from the deck every day. Just wondering why.

Thanks.

 

[sumi]

I've had this happen with chickens I raised indoors. They like to come "visit" and if we leave the door open they are all over the house in no time! Maybe yours just want to see you?

 

[idachick]

Ours do the same thing. My office window looks out into the back yard and they will come roost at the tops of the lawn chairs next to the window and look in at me. Right now it is so snowy and cold they come and sit by the sliding glass door and peck occasionally. If I left the door open they would come right in. We assume they just like to see what we are up to and be closer to us.

 

[MarcoPollo]

I was reading this post and I don't really have any advice to contribute. I just wanted to say ...... how sweet is that to have the chickens congregating around you!? I can imagine them being like a little group of visitors. "Hey, do you all wanna go see what the family of humans is up to? Sure, let's go"! LOL
But then there's the chicken poop problem.........

Which I understand completely.

 

[donrae]

I never brooded in the house and could never keep them off the porch. I think crediting them with remembering being warm and brooded and knowing it was on the other side of that door is too much for chicken reasoning. I eventually had to fence them in a large run cause I got tired of chicken poo on the porch. My birds had a acre of pasture with some trees and bushes, plus they could access the abandonded property next door--two acres of pasture and woods. Nope, they hung out on the porch. So now, they hang out in the run!

 

[mrsc1951]

We had the same problem - our deck became their "poop" deck. We just fenced the area immediately around the deck so that we have a place to sit without worrying about their mess. They still have the majority of the back yard but we maintained our space. Mine would also come peck on the sliding glass door but they were never inside in a brooder or otherwise. I think they just know that "treats" come from there and they are truly little feathered beggars. I typically take them a treat out around 4:30 or so and about 4:00 - 4:15 they gather at the gate and squawk for me to hurry. It's funny because if I am busy and not paying attention to the time they certainly let me know.

 

[centrarchid]

Location is a preferred loafing area. When not foraging they like to hang out in relatively protected area. Protected means out of wind and when cold the location is sunny in a addition to providing view enabling birds to survey surroundings for approaching predators. Loafing birds like to explore by pecking, dust bath and sun bath.

My birds are partial to south facing double door they can also look into. My assumption they think they can run into house if threatened. Even when door is open to allow dog and child traffic, chickens do not typically come inside house even though they do peep in when we are watching television. Many of the birds are hen raised while others were brooder reared indoors. Rearing method does seem to enfluence behavior around door.

 

[Mariakoltsa]

I never brooded in the house and could never keep them off the porch. I think crediting them with remembering being warm and brooded and knowing it was on the other side of that door is too much for chicken reasoning. I eventually had to fence them in a large run cause I got tired of chicken poo on the porch. My birds had a acre of pasture with some trees and bushes, plus they could access the abandonded property next door--two acres of pasture and woods. Nope, they hung out on the porch. So now, they hang out in the run!

Hey i really had to log in just to argue the memory thing. Absolutely they remember. I had 2x 1 month old chookies and they were given to me, i had to quarantine them and i had NOWHERE to put them, so i covered my new couch with a thick layer of old towels and i just kept them there roosting on the back rest or snuggling in the the corners where the arm rest are. And now, it has been almost 2 years and the same one (one died ) keeps sitting by the glass door and when i open it she walks right in and goes to the EXACT same spots she used to fee safe and cozy on. Just every time she seems to be feeling a bit ill or hot or tired or sometimes wants to even lay an egg on the couch, she comes and goes to the same spot. When im near she relaxes too and stops being to jumpy and looking around all the time. So she also feels safe here.
also another adult chook we got, named Curious - for a reason, she loves coming in and then out the other door, n one time i picked her up and did a tour to the bathroom with her. But pretty soon after that i decided that no more chickens in the house, they r generally good but now they all want to come in after a dust bath and shake off. So no. I managed to be tough for 2 months , and then decided to leave the door cracked, they probably wont come after that time anyways. She came straight in and went to the bathroom and hopped on the counter where i had put her before lol.
anyways ❤❤❤❤

 

[aart]

Whoa, this thread made my heart lurch,
seeing both Sumi and Donraes posts,
then I looked at the dates.