just how well have u tamed a chuck?do they sit on your lap? etc etc:)
As soon as I open my kitchen door they come running over to see if I have any grapes for them lol
And my brahma who's called Mildred comes to me when I call her by her name.
Does that count as tame? I have only had them for 2 weeks!
Some chooks are easier than others - i had silkies that i could never tame and a white star that was a nutter.
Generally i start giving them treats by hand - tames them pretty quick. the baby brahmas i have at the moment are not taming easily i must admit but i'll keep trying.
I had a sikie that was tame, she would come through my open bedroom window at dusk in a bungalow and I would find her asleep on my bed.We also had a silver Wyandotte who would tap on the door at dusk and come in,he would sleep in one of the dogs beds,then he left again in the morning if it wasn't raining ,if it was, he perched on a chair back all day.. XX Jeannine
Like OO says hand feeding is a good start it helps if you need to give medicines so they are not scared of you.
Like Long John Silver had a parrot on his shoulder I end up with hens.
I have a couple who think its great to get me in hen house and as I bend over they jump on my back and climb up onto my shoulder.
When it comes to cleaning out there all helping me I bag stuff up they scratch it out and in and out of my arms and when I sit down they climb up the legs.
My fav co*k was not well he was old and one morn I went into henhouse he was in the nest so I picked him up sat down and cuddled him he talked to me and then died in my arms.
I was in floods of tears and all the girls came in and surounded me. Talking and pulling at my trousers and jumper like trying to comfort me.
It was a surrell moment which I will never forget.
So I'm not the only one who treats her hens to grapes!! MOH never eats grapes...he knows better than that...they're there for the girls not people!! This years chicks are already getting quite tame as a result of their grapes in the morning. All my silkies are quite tame and will sit on my lap and be stroked and scratched especially when they're broody!
Interestingly I have young peacocks that are also very tame but won't be touched so I don't try and they trust me now so will come up and lie down close, feed from my hand, call me when they get fed up, display to me (well anything that moves at this time of year!!) They also come and peer through the windows at us..."will you come out and play please?!" One has even nested right under a house window so I can peep out at her, how honoured am I?! They love grapes as well!!
How spoilt are my birds?!
Judi
Give then raisins!! They love them, that's why the poachers use them, and they are cheaper than grapes.
I might have to try mine on raisins as it costs me a fortune in grapes lol
i can't go out in the garden in flip flops since i got the chickens as they come and peck my toes lol they have had me a few times when I have been talking to a neighbour at the gate and I don't notice them till I feel them peck my toes lol
My warrens also bully my cat. they surround her and slowly close in on her pecking and clucking at her lol
Oh yes Jeannie, poachers use raisins soaked in brandy or any achool they got their hands on.
Pheasens would eat them and go to sleep. So the men would just bag them up no sound was made.
By all accounts grandfather was good at that.
Wonder if the brandy flavoured the meat?
One day I wore red nail varnish on toes with flip flops on, I came out of hens house quicker than I went in learnt the hard way.
Well I too will try raisins...grapes are so expensive...maybe a mixture as they do sooo love grapes...alternate red/black one week then green the next!! Should have been black this week but they were twice the price so the poor things have got green again this week!! I wonder if they'll notice?!
It's reassuring to hear that others love the smell of their henhouses...not just me...I've never told anyone before! When I go to clean them I say..."clean sheets!" and I really equate the two experiences!!
Sorry...got a glass of wine beside me...hence the drivel! maybe I'll take it out to the henhouse when I tuck them in tonight!!
Judi
my chicken treat has raisins in... some of the hens fight over the raisins some dont bother... chickens are funny buggers!
Mine are really MAD about bananas. I get a good supply of slightly over ripe ones from the school tuck shop & they look foir them first every morning - if I haven't got any they just look at me in disgust & refuse to eat - not for long though. :)
If I run out go grapes, I give my girls bananas and they sort of like them but they don't like the sticky beaks that go with them! After eating them they rush round rubbing their beaks in the grass...they really do prefer grapes!
Judi
Mine love tomatoes - esp cherry ones!