Give A Chicken A Chance

I was reading the Bedlam Farm Journal this morning. I subscribed to it, so I get alerts for every entry. One entry in particular made me flinch. Read here and you will know why.Coquette

I know chickens are not for everyone, but you have to give them a chance, and you have to know how to lure them in to be friends with you and enjoy your company.

Usually, you have to get them very young or as a chick, and pay a lot of attention to them. Hold them, talk to them. Give them treats like I did Phoenix. Phoenix gets a plate of lima beans or I will cut some corn off my cob, if we have cornbread he likes to have some on a little plate of his own.

But food is not the only way to a chickens heart. All chickens love to have under their wings, in the pit rubbed. They love to have the back of their neck scratched.

I have so many stories of proof that chickens do love humans and want their attention and affection.

Take Blue for instance. He is always up for my affection. He will make the sweetest little cooing sounds to me and then I give him a good massage under the wings. He stands right there and loves it. There is no food involved in this exchange, just love and affection. 

All my roosters that are affectionate to me will dance for me. Phoenix and Blue do it all the time.

Bonnie and Clyde, they love to be held. Especially Bonnie. She will fly right up onto you and snuggle down and be so content.

You could hold Phoenix all day and he wouldnt mind. 

Look at Hank, that recent picture of Hank and my Mama, he cooed and just talked away to her. 

You can go out and pick up most any of my chickens and cuddle them without protest.

It is because I have spent time with them. Some more than others. 

Now I wont lie, I do have a few, that are just out of their minds. Take Alan for instance, as hard as I tried to get him to warm up to me and love me, he refused and to this day is always looking for a chance to tear me to pieces. He is just an aggressive insane rooster. That is why he is kept penned.

Then there is poor Everett. I talk to him all the time, he is a nervous bird. I can tell that he wants to be friends, but his fear just overwhelms him and he runs from me all the time.

Some breeds are just predispositioned to be friendly, like the giant cochins. They are very laid back and will tolerate handling easily. Same goes for my silkie hens Thelma and Louise.

Lets not forget Rod. My white Sultan rooster. He LOVES me. I can just talk to him through the pen door and he gets all excited. Starts dancing and clucking. If I pick him up then he is just the happiest boy you could ever want.

Some chickens are not as bright as others. The same goes for any species, including humans. So if your chicken is insane like Alan, or the best house chicken in the world like Phoenix, its because they are all individuals and everyone is different.

I am writing this in the event that Mr. Katz may take the time to come over and visit my journal. I did send him a short email and a couple of pictures. I doubt he will, as he is a famous and busy man. But, just in case he does, I would like to sway one more person, that is a professed animal lover, to give chickens a chance. You just have to know how to be with a chicken, thats all it is.

Here are the two pictures I sent him. I found Shelby and Phoenix relaxing one day last year out on the porch. I told her to remove her hands to show that Phoenix was not being held down and that he was actually relaxing and enjoying her company. He never jumped up, never moved, just gave me that look, like WHAAAT? LOL