Why does your chicken hate you today?

[kattabelly]

Today my previously calm and friendly three week old chicks have decided I'm actually the devil incarnate. Maybe it's a hormonal/developmental stage thing; maybe it's because I didn't take them outside yesterday (the weather was vile and I had more chicks hatching); maybe it's because I gave them kale sprouts instead of the purple sprouting broccoli they've been enjoying; maybe there's some other reason that only makes sense to bird brains. We'll work it out.

One of the teenage cockerels also hates me right now because I tried to give him some leftover macaroni. Usually the teens aren't great at trying new foods but I think he thought it was a slug or a leatherjacket and now he's feeling betrayed that I could ever pull such a dirty trick.

Do you have a rage-filled rooster? A sulky silkie? A disappointed duck or an inexplicably terrified turkey? What awful thing did you do to make them hate you today?

 

[5Australorpasaures]

They can hate me all they want but they better remember who holds the machete.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Ours are on a two-day rage from being confined to their run while a new concrete walkway was poured.

 

[kattabelly]

Today one of the teenagers (pullet this time - at least they're taking turns to hate me!) was absolutely furious because I was wearing gloves

 

[KtheChickenGal]

Because I didn't give them pounds of treats, and allow them to get fat, my chickens now hate me.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Nothing. My chickens love me no matter what.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Nothing. My chickens love me no matter what.

Yup, mine too.

At least that seems to be the case when I go out there like Lady Bountiful, scttering mealworms, scratch and BOSS in every direction.

 

[Chickenpoonumber2]

My chickens hate my 4 year old (makes sense, he's loud and always moving) unless there are treats. The chickens would go to a rabid raccoon if it offered them treats...

 

[kattabelly]

They can hate me all they want but they better remember who holds the machete.

Funny you say that, my four week old chicks have forgotten where they're meant to sleep since I put the babies in sort-of with them. If I go into the brooder pen they just want to see what I'm doing, so our current nightly routine is waiting for the babies to go to sleep and then I lean over the edge of the pen and herd the bigger chicks into their bed by waving a (sheathed!) machete around. There's actually far less screaming while they organise the sleep heap after that, compared to when they were putting themselves to bed. Not sure they understand the concept of a machete well enough for that to be the reason, though

 

[BlueDawnRising]

For not letting them free range in a downpour this afternoon