I love it when...

[Bephlam]

My chickens drink!!!

It makes me all "awww & ahhh"...mushy!!

It's instant love when I watch them all standing around their drinker gulping it down - one of the cutest things I've EVER seen!! (and they do it ALL the time for their Mummy!!)

Am I just an incredible saddo, or are there little things you absolutely LOVE about your girls??

Come on - make me feel less of a chicken freak.

You love it when....

[Hashette]

Sad? Not even slightly.

My lot have worked out where we live - it's that big chicken coop on the other side of the patio doors - so on a weekend all they have to do is walk round there, peck on the glass, and we come running up. Peck a bit more and we come outside and produce either corn or mealworms. Who's training who?

Best of all when I go out into the garden spontaneously, they all come running up. It's like having my dogs reincarnated. When we first got these ex-bat girls (in October) the "experienced" chook owner in the pub 100 yards down said they'd never be pets, they're basically wild animals that roost in the trees not in the coop given half a chance, and don't really inter-react with humans.

Erm.... well here's no not having a clue, 'cos I love them and they at least recognise me, even if they do have a basic Hash=food reaction

[frias]

I don't think you are a saddo, though I admit my family all think I am. If I go shopping I have to get home quick because the girls can't free range unless I'm home.
I love it when they all share a bowl of porridge and there's lots of contented noises. Also When I open the back door and they all come wizzing towards me wings flapping to help get some speed up. I know it's only 'cos I might have some treats but it makes me feel good.

[Suechooks]

I love it when I open the allotment site gate and I can hear them greeting me! My lottie neighbours assure me they only do it when I arrive! Bless!!! And I love it when the little ex-batts who've been poorly and hand fed come running first for their treats!

[MaureenHall]

I love it when I go into the run and Hazel looks up at me and says "bokbokbokchookbok" and stays there till I've given her a pat and spoken to her

[Nicos]

I love it too when I open the back door and they fly about 100feet to get to me ( well my raisins/treats)asap

I love it when the boys find something nice to eat and call the girls over to eat it.

I love it when they are calm and allow me to pick them up

I love watching my OH talking to them

I love it when I hold a warm, sweet smelling, freshly laid egg in my hand.

I love it when they natter between themselves

I love hearing the cockerels crowing ( not at night obviously!!)

I love cracking an egg onto a plate and see a perfect golden ball of a yolk

...oh and I love eating the eggs!

[Glutton4...]

Well I'm a saddo too!

I've got a stool in my girls' run, so I can go and sit and talk to them. I love it when they rush over making lots of little chooky noises, then one of the brown ones and one of the white ones jump up onto my lap and sit there quite contentedly while I stroke them. It's always the same two. The others stand there and peck my wellies and pick pieces of hay off my trousers, but never attempt to get on my lap.

I also love it when I hear them chattering in the coop first thing in the morning. I say 'morning ladies' and they go completely silent until I open the door, then it's like St. Trinians on a school outing!

[HayleyB]

When I walk into the yard and they are the other end and it's like a chicken race to see who gets to me first.

There's one whitey who runs like a horse cantering it's so funny she seems to think she can go faster if she does a hopping type of run - difficult to describe but horsey people will understand that it's three beat without the third leg

Porridge was a bit sticky last night and they were rubbing it off their beaks on the roost.

I love it that Alice who was one of the really featherless one has got full plumage and knickers and is fat and very very pretty.

[Nicos]

Oh - and I like how they took themselves to bed on the one occasion I was late home...all lined up on the perch - and just looked at me as if to say " well then missy!!!!"

[Bephlam]

I love it when they wipe their little beaks on the ground to get the sticky food off too - it's soooooo cute!!! They have been known to wipe on our clothes as well, if the ground is too messy!!

[Flummery]

Oh you are all SO getting me going! Got the chook stuff (red mite powder, ACV, poultry spice etc. for birthday) hen-house on the way - you are really winding me up. Want mine NOW!

[HayleyB]

Ooooh Aunty Flum, I thought you already had some. When are you getting some? What are you getting? How eggciting

[kirsty b]

I just love 'em. Every little bit of keeping them, listening to the chatter, watching them run. They have an old woodedn box against the fence of their run, and when they see me appear at the top of the path, they dive off the box and into the shed to wait for me (food). Its so nice to be greeted likethat.

[Nicos]

And...I have to say..how I love how Bertha loves to sit on the wooden eggs and tries to hatch them!!!

[lynda66]

i love the greeting they give me in the morning, and also love watching them drink, it's so cute, and mealworm times are funny, they know the sound of the lid opening and go mad, i also semi cook some chopped frozen veg at night for them, and they start squawking and beating each other up as soon as the microwave gets switched on ...... i also love the way pingu sits on top of the playpen, then when i'm settled on the laptop flies over to the top of the screen, then has a little wander round on the sofa and a quick look on the coffee table in case theres food there

oh god i could go on all night, they are ace