It was so nice to have a dry day today even thought it was cold with a frosty start. I dug the run over and swept the patio and the girls kept me company as I went about these jobs.
They have their different ways of interacting with me. Peaches, Barley and Speckles like to jump on my back while I am poop picking, that is one at a time, not all three together! Peaches and Barley will leap on me from a perch, over quite a distance, and will chatter away in my ear until they step off at another perch.
Speckles like it to be easy and will step from the wooden table on to my back or jump from the patio while I am bent over changing my boots. She rides quietly and will also step off onto a perch.
Emerald has never jumped on my back but she always accompanies me while I poop pick and likes to perch on each ladder at eye level with me while I clean up under the ladders (which is where most of the poop is). She will be on one ladder with me and then will move to the other ladder with me. It’s become her daily habit.
The little girls just follow my hands. They scratch and peck around my hands for the entire distance of the run. I wonder if they think I am doing the same thing as they are or visa versa.
When I sweep the patio the little girls follow the broom pecking at the shavings that I am sweeping up. They have no fear of my hands, my feet or the broom.
I tried for a group photo when I gave the girls the evening corn.
Corn time
This was the only good one as one of the girls kept moving out of shot.
As soon as I pass the little coops the little girls jump up on to them. They are so easy to photograph as they love to be close to me and are always waiting to see if my hands will produce a titbit for them.
Rusty and Freckles on top of the little coop nest box
Such a cute pair
I only have to hold out my hand to these two and they come running. Because they are so tame with me and my husband I thought that they were just really friendly girls.
I realised over Christmas when we had visitors that this isn’t completely so, they are just so used to us. I couldn’t get them to come to the patio when there was someone there that they weren’t used to. It made me realise how much they trust us and how much they associate my hands with good things.
It is lovely to have that trust with such little girls and I just love having them follow my every move round the run and the shed. I really enjoy how close to me these little girls like to be.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
How nice that they are all so tame.
It made me realise when we had family to visit that their bond is with us. The little girls wouldn’t come to the patio when any of the family were there. Even with corn to tempt them they wouldn’t come on to the patio with family members. It surprised me and made me realise how used to us they have become but that doesn’t extend to other people.
Lovely relationship you have with them all. Is it just me, or are Freckles’ wattles getting bigger?
Funnily enough I am just part way through a post about how the little girls have matured. I think you are right that Freckles wattles have grown a bit.