For the last few evenings Peaches and Barley have jumped to my shoulder at bedtime. I think they have been doing this because they are not happy with the lower bedtime perches.
Jillian asked me in a comment how they came to do this and I replied that I think it comes from having them at only six weeks old and it’s always been something they have done.
I thought it would be fun to go back to some photos my husband took last September.
Barley on my back
We both turn to look at peaches
She turns back to the camera
Whenever I duck down for any reason (usually cleaning up), Peaches or Barley will jump on me and ride on my back until I reach one of the perches when they will just step off. Sometimes if I duck down near a perch they will use me as a stepping stone to the perch.
Steve (my eldest son) and I have pondered on why they do this and we think it must just be for fun. There is no reward for this so we think they just like it. If anyone has any ideas why they do this I would be interested to hear them. Either way I rather like it as it is a way of them interacting with me purely from their own choice.
Barley on my shoulder last night
Here is another shot of Barley on my shoulder. Unfortunately I have just cropped her comb but I am completely blind as to what will be in shot. The better ones came out blurred. It does show how she like to stand tall on my shoulder though.
It is quite an endearing habit. Let me know if your girls do this too.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Bernadette, one of my Pekins does this to me. I’ve had her from ten weeks old. She used to stay up there for a while but now it’s generally only a few seconds. As if she’s just checking in!
That’s interesting because my big girl, Dotty used to jump to my shoulder every morning as I went through the gate. I really felt this was her way of greeting me each morning and she only stayed for seconds as if as you say she was just checking in.
Peaches and Barley, however, stay on my back for the entire traverse of the run, some days. I sometimes have to go to a perch or one of the tables and sort of tip them, to encourage them to leave. Sometimes it takes a few seconds of tipping them before they step off. It’s as if they don’t want to leave. Although I have to tip them as I need to get on, it’s also quite nice that they are not in any hurry to leave me. It is very odd behaviour, although also quite lovely too.