The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: mowhaugh on September 08, 2013, 08:31:45 pm
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The new pullets I got a few weeks back have been much more stand-off-ish than my other hens, but today when I was cleaning out the henhouse (so pleased I bought a new hen house for the new pullets, all the original hens have moved in too, they are like sardines in there at night, but seem happy ::)) one of them came over jumped onto my knee, and stayed there. It was very sweet, and I also got to see what a lovely colour she is - she looks black from a distance, but has beautiful metallic blue tones.
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Aw! That's really sweet. I don't have a single fowl that would come that close - pecking corn from my hand is one thing, pecking at my boots and trousers is the realm of the geese, jumping up for a cuddle remains firmly cat territory.
H
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That's sweet. My girls like to come over and get tickles under the chin but don't jumpmon my knee.
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Our pet cockerel pecks us on the leg when he wants a cuddle Mowhaugh. That's whenever we sit at the computer or in the evening. He then sleeps on our lap and sometimes snores.
We had a hen that liked to sit on our laps whenever she could, but generally they prefer not to be picked up at all and keep their distance. The only exception is when they are ill and they will sit for tlc all day.
Great opportunity to check them over. If one is healthy they usually all are.
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I have hen that is more a pet than the others - french copper black marran.
She occasionally (or if encouraged) flies up onto my or my husbands' head/shoulder/arm to have a look at whatever we're holding/eating!
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I have an old battery hen who follows me around the garden and jumps onto my knee where i feed her bits of toast from my hand. She's a real favourite and i can't see me giving her the chop when she stops laying! another pet!!!
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All our ex batts have always been extremely friendly and will hop up on your lap and follow you everywhere. none of the others are anything like as friendly which always makes for an entertaining time when we want to catch them.
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I have one Marsh Daisy hen who'll fly up to my shoulder and sit there-always reckoned it was because I was the highest point though! She does it often-she's a good hen, good layer, good self sufficient broody, good mum-hand reared. MDs love to fly. My Scots Greys are pretty friendly although not sit-on-knee friendly.
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I have a group of hybrid hens, all of which love to follow me and feed from my hand. Two, however, are especially friendly and love to hop on my lap for a cuddle or a sleep! I raised some chicks this year to replace my older hybrids and I handled each one from the word go as much as possible to get them used to being handled, as I figure its kinder for them to be used to handling, not to mention making my life so much easier while checking them! (nothing to do with the fact that I enjoy giving them a cuddle and a fuss, of course!!) :innocent: