[kuru]

i really wanna be friends with the neighbors chickens but whenever they come near me im afraid theyre gonna start attacking me

i really wanna get over this fear but idk how

help?,,

[Skeezyks]

Well... I'm no chicken expert (unless you're talking about eating them.) We did have chickens when I was a kid. I don't recall that the hens would have ever attacked anyone. The roosters could become a bit feisty. There was one I recall that took a particular dislike to me. But I would have to admit the chances are I probably provoked him to begin with. I would think, if you can have some chicken feed to throw down for the chickens you want to be friends with, they'll become your best friends in no time at all. Good luck!

I am a real lover of birds, and though there are exceptions, I will say that most chickens are not "friend" or "pet" type material. That includes chickens that were raised by people as a supposed "pet" from chick days.

Do you want to see one funny as hell video? It's an interview the NY Times did with a family in India that raised a rooster as a pet. It almost had me peeing my pants. My husband shared it with me a good three months ago. Yes, it is a rooster and not a hen, but I don't think there is a huge difference in terms of socialization with people. Here it is:

[WishfulThinker66]

In what manner are these chickens kept? In what way are you thinking of accessing them. There is going to be a great deal of difference getting close to free run birds as getting close to those in a pen. Also, you need to consider the environment. How clean is it? Chickens and other fowl can carry parasites and diseases. Again, how big an operation is this neighbour's chicken operation? Is it just a few birds in a back yard or a larger pen or run? How often is the area cleaned out. You've really got to consider all this before making a decision to get close to these birds.

Now, if these are backyard chickens they will be more like pets as they'd be used to people - but don't forget to consider how clean their stalls and coops are before touching them.

I lived on a hobby farm with all sorts of different fowl. We regularly cleaned the coops and the animals were healthy. Some of these chickens would sit in my lap and allow me to pet them like a dog.

[Velvet Lounger]

I'm actually interested in keeping 2 or 3 hens as my daughter wants some, so I'd be glad for any tips if anyone has any.

[WishfulThinker66]

Originally Posted by Velvet Lounger

I'm actually interested in keeping 2 or 3 hens as my daughter wants some, so I'd be glad for any tips if anyone has any.

First off check your community bi-laws. Most places these days outlaw backyard chicken coops for the reasons I listed above.

[Velvet Lounger]

Originally Posted by WishfulThinker66

First off check your community bi-laws. Most places these days outlaw backyard chicken coops for the reasons I listed above.

I'm already au fait with our by-laws, but thank you. Tomorrow I'm getting us a book on chickens.

[lightly toasted]

@kuru Hi , kuru, did you approach the neighbour or their chickens yet? Curious how you got on. I'm no expert on chickens, but from what I've heard they have distinct personalities and can be interesting to get to know.