Why Do Chickens Follow Me? 5 Common Reasons

Your chickens may follow you for different reasons. Top among these numerous reasons is their curiosity. Chickens are very curious animals just like most pets. They can feel your love and affection in addition to wanting to know new things in their surroundings. Most likely, they can follow you in the hope of being fed.

Why do Chickens Chase You?

Chickens might have a number of reasons to chase you around. This is the same case with other animals on the farm. Here is a comprehensive list of likely reasons why your flock of birds may decide to follow you around:

– Your Chickens are  Just Curious

As stated above, the curiosity of your chickens could be the main reason why they are chasing you from one place to another. This is also the case with free-ranging chickens, especially when you let them roam the backyard or field. So, the moment they become aware of your presence, they rush towards you and even follow you where you go.

Some may do so while expecting you to feed them or help them explore other areas rather than their usual backyard. This behavior of stalking you is usually accompanied by lining up right in front of the entrance to the backyard or the door to your house if you can access it.

In other words, your birds follow you while expecting you to help them get outside their run or confined area.

– Your Chickens Like You

If your chickens are always on your heels, rest assured that they have some love and affection for you. Their frequent chasing you is simply a sign that they like you. Chickens and other domestic animals are known to be loving and affectionate, especially to that one person who takes good care of them.

So if you start handling your birds gently, playing with them, and feeding them right from their tender age, they will certainly like you and always crave to get close to you.

Another thing about chickens is that they are emphatic creatures despite not looking like it. They are likely to show their love, passion, and affection towards anyone that looks after them. If you have been treating your flock of birds nicely, you should not be surprised to see them chasing you around.

– Your Chickens Are Hungry

Chickens can follow you when they are hungry. This is the case, especially if you are their caretaker. They will rush towards you, hoping to find something to eat. Your birds will chase you around while eagerly waiting for you to provide them with their favorite snacks and water.

They will do so in the morning or in the afternoon when they feel hungry and thirsty. Make sure to carry something for them every time you access their backyard.

– You are the Flock Leader

Studies show that chickens can easily recognize human faces. On average they can identify up to 100 different faces with utmost accuracy. The same research further revealed that chickens have the ability to recognize their owners or caregivers using their powerful memory.

No wonder too many chicken keepers give their chickens specific names because of their ability to learn new names.

In addition to that fact, chickens have their own form of hierarchy, commonly referred to as the “pecking order”. In each hierarchy, there is usually a flock leader and in this case, a dominant rooster leads the rest of the chickens.

Since you are responsible for determining what time your flock eats, this flock leader is likely to be you. This is evident where chickens are raised through multiple generations-where all roosters and hens in the coop are born and raised by one particular caretaker.

– Your Chickens are Spooked

Chickens go through different growth phases just like human beings do. For instance, in adolescence, chickens can display some unusual behaviors. If you are an experienced backyard coop owner or poultry farmer, you must be fully aware of this transformation.

On the other hand, you may be in a better position to tell their different moods in different situations. So, when your birds are scared, they may do all kinds of things to find some comfort or feel protected. One of the actions your scared chickens can take is to follow you in order to have some protection.

This is true, especially if they are constantly faced with danger from predators. The moment your flock senses the presence of predators, they come running towards you. They do so because they are scared of being captured and killed by either land or aerial predators. By running or following you when they are spooked means that your chickens trust you.

How Do You Make Your Chickens Follow You?

It is easy to make your chickens follow you. Chickens have great memories that allow them to recognize people who matter to them. If you wish to make your flock follow you around, then you should be ready to be there whenever they need you. Additionally, you should show them the love and care they deserve.

Try also to feed them different tasty treats by hand so you can earn their trust. At the same time, sit down with them, allow them to play around with you, and pet them a little to make them feel wanted and appreciated. It will not take long before your chickens become fond of you and start following you wherever you go.

However, you need to know that a handful of chicken breeds are social and more interactive than others. This means that you need to take your time to study each breed to know how to make them like you and eventually follow you around.

With time, almost all your birds will be comfortable being around you or following you when they get a chance to get close to you.

How Do You Stop Your Chickens from Following You?

Sometimes you may need to be alone and away from your chickens. So, you might want to safely stop them from following you around while you are busy handling other important matters on your farm.

The easiest way to go about solving this problem is to keep your birds enclosed inside their coop. But there is another option that you can use to keep them roaming freely without bothering you.

Just sprinkle some citrus juice around you to prevent your chickens from running towards you. This is because chickens dislike the smell of citrus fruits, so they will try to avoid it by all means.

Can You Train Chickens to Come to You?

Yes, you can teach your chickens to respond to your call and start following you. A simple training technique can help you achieve this feat. This particular skill is useful when it comes to keeping your birds within your control and range. Also, the skill is useful whenever you want to get your chickens back into their coop.

Training your chickens to come close when called creates a strong connection between you and them. This bond grows even stronger when you have some reward for them. This can be something as simple as a container full of their favorite treats or feed.

Make sure to maintain the same call when you want them to follow you around their backyard. Even though this technique may take a little longer, be sure that at some time, they will respond. You just need to be a little patient when trying to establish a close relationship with your flock of chickens.

Conclusion

At least, you have an idea why your chickens follow you everywhere when you access their backyard coop. Various factors help explain this fascinating behavior and key among them is the love they have for you. When your flock of chickens follows you around, it is a sign that they trust you because of the good care you give them.

In this sense, there is no harm to embrace paying attention to your birds whenever they passionately chase you around.

avatar James
Hey, I'm James, a hardworking homesteader for more than 30 years. I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that comes from tending my flock. I've raised chickens and ducks for eggs and meat for many years. I also have experience with other poultry too. Learn more

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