Chickens, I have realized, rarely have the benefit of growing up under the nurturing and guidance of a chicken mother. Generally, they and their siblings are left to their own devices to discover what plants are safe to eat and which ones are potentially poisonous to them. Many of the things they do are instinctual, such as scratching and pecking the soil and taking dust baths. They know intuitively when it is time for bed. They sleep in a pile on top of one another as close as they can get, until they begin to sleep on a perch, where they crowd side by side, as closely as possible to each other.
Waterfowl and most birds generally bond with the first other sentient being that they see, after emerging from the egg. This is known as imprinting and this is why they will follow around a human being who has cared for them since hatching. I take my role as surrogate mom very seriously. Some chickens are naturally more friendly than others, just as some children tend to be more sociable. One of my five chickens, Ivy, has grown especially fond of me and whenever I am bending down in the garden or squatting down to give them a bowl of water or food, she immediately flies up onto my back. A couple of the others will often fly up there with her, so I have had, on occasion, three chickens on my back at once. I am certain that this is quite a spectacle for any observing neighbors!
Several times a day they come up on my back steps simply to be near me. I would be tempted to let them into the house to follow me around if they didn’t poop everywhere. Ivy is so sweet. I can sit her on my leg and pet her where she completely relaxes and closes her eyes, willing to take a nap there. I love having their company when I am working in the garden. They help me by controlling the grasshopper population. I know that I am a poor substitute as a real chicken mom, but I love my chickens and I know they love me.
