Margie's chicken observation

Our new layers started laying their pullet eggs last week and they are quickly gaining momentum.  Dave can't begin working on building me an egg washer soon enough!  Our new layers (that's what we refer to them as...the older layers are called the "big chickens") have gotten quite friendly and like the big chickens want you to pet them and give them lots of attention.  This makes for some very interesting moments as 100 layers try to be the one to get to you first.  If you aren't quick enough to give them attention, the hoop house becomes very loud with complaints and they will peck your boots/shoes.  Bending down or over to pet them provides another interesting problem at times as your back becomes a perfect roost.  One inevitably will fly onto your back, thus demanding more attention than the rest.  In the winter this is not too painful as the layers of clothing protect you against their claws, however, the landing on the head is quite painful and can be a challenge to remove as long hair presents a problem.  I have found a hat is a must!  Thankfully, this has only happened once, or perhaps I have just learned my lesson.  The back roosting has happened numerous times and I am amazed everytime at how chickens have learned to defy Newton's theory of gravity.   Standing up will not rid your back of the chicken as they will dig into your clothing and flap their wings to stay on, therefore, leading you to lean down again and manually try to remove the chicken or wait patiently until it gets bored.  For onlookers, this could be an amusing part of their day.  Perhaps if Newton would have had chickens and observed this phenomena, he would have included a "chicken clause" in his theory. 

If you have a destination in mind upon entering the hoop house (like gathering eggs) you need to act quickly.  Once the layers move in around your feet, it's like a gridlock.  Reminds me of driving on I-95 trying to get across 5 lanes of bumper-to-bumper traffic to get to your exit.  The best method to overcome such gridlock is the shuffle method (though not recommended for I-95 travel).  The shuffle method avoids stepping on chickens' feet, thus avoiding a mass take-off, where when one chicken flies to get away, the rest panic and do the same. 

Overall, chickens are fast becoming my favorite farm animal (though I said this about pigs as well...guess it depends on who's behaving better).  I love their independence, yet need for attention, their nosiness, and their fearless attitude.  I, for one, would not walk up to one of our cattle laying in the pasture, sit down in front of it, and stare it down.  It is interesting to see the chickens try to get the resting cows to move so they can eat or scratch at the ground under them.  Surprisingly enough, many of the chickens have their own unique personality that you learn quite quickly.  They also have a devious side to them as the big chickens are aware of the dogs' invisible fence and know where the dogs can and can't go.  We have observed those chickens weaving in and out of the fence in order to the get dogs all excited.