Once Had a Pet Chicken

[Jasmine333]

Anyone here have or has had pet chickens? My family had some property in the Texas Hill Country and decided to get a few chickens for egg-laying. I went to a farm and ranch store where they sold hens and roosters, and bought a couple of large white hens (I believe they were called Buff Orpingtons, and a beautiful rooster.

Well not long after we had them I noticed one of the hens would come over to me, turn around with her back to me and halfway unfold her wings. I learned this was her cue to pick her up, which I did. I named her Fluffy, and she did this on her own. Don't think she had been kept as a pet before, she just decided to be a pet.

 

[bug_n_flock]

Chickens are great. We have oodles of them on our farm, and they have such funny personalities. Some have names, others do not. They each have their own unique personalities though. Funny little featherpeople.

 

[SailBoat]

My first exposure to Chickens was at my Great Aunt's apple farm. It was amazing to watch the reaction of the flock when she came out the back door. Before she got more than Chick, Chick out, they all where running /flying her way.

Okay, that makes sense, i.e. food! But, when they gathered, she would call them by name and each would respond by move to her for their special share. Clearly, the good layers would get an extra share.

Chickens are much smarter than we give them credit.

 

[Jasmine333]

My first exposure to Chickens was at my Great Aunt's apple farm. It was amazing to watch the reaction of the flock when she came out the back door. Before she got more than Chick, Chick out, they all where running /flying her way.

Okay, that makes sense, i.e. food! But, when they gathered, she would call them by name and each would respond by move to her for their special share. Clearly, the good layers would get an extra share.

Chickens are much smarter than we give them credit.

I agree chickens are smart, cattle too. A neighbor once told me every time a cow blinked it's eyes it was a new day. Not true.

 

[Jen5200]

Yup, I have chickens....turkeys too . I call them my outside pets, they all have names. They are a hoot, and they are pretty smart. Most of my chickens know their names and will fly up to perch on my arm if I ask them to. My outside birds are 4-5 years old and great pets!

 

[Betrisher]

I had a Rhode Island Red called Antigone when I was teenager. She just marched into our yard one day and stayed. Dad made me knock on all the local doors to see if I could find her owner, but no one ever claimed her.

She was so sweet: she followed me everywhere and would fly to sit on top of my head (which was a bit nerve-wracking, as we never did perfect potty training). She would sit on the table while I did my homework and would fly at the cat with her head snaked forward and wings outstretched if it tried to come near me. She was *such* a lovely chook (Australian word for chicken) and I loved her dearly.

Unfortunately, Dad got sick of having to clean Antigone's rather large, rather green poo off the driveway and eventually ordered me to find a good home for her. She went to live with a friend of my Mum's who treated her like a pet instead of a farm animal. She had a good life and I'm glad I never heard of her eventual demise. I'd recommend keeping a chook as a pet to anyone (at least, anyone who doesn't care about the state of their driveway).