Are my hens preening me, or just curious?

[FluffyFaverolles]

Hi there! I was wondering about my chickens’ behaviour that I’ve noticed recently. When I’m sitting in the coop with the girls, I’ve noticed some of them like to come up to me and grab my hair. My Faverolles are particularly fond of this action, but my Brabanter does it too. The Faverolles have always been friendly, but the Brabanter girl used to be very frightened and easily startled. She’d never come up to me before, but now she lets me stroke her back and she likes standing next to me. I’m not sure if it’s an age thing or what; the Faverolles aren’t even a year old yet (though they have started laying) and the Brabanter is about 5 years old. I do appreciate it if it’s grooming, but I usually stop them before they can get too into it (don’t want them swallowing hair + the spit is gross.) Are they just curious because of my long hair, or actually preening?

 

[Annalyse]

haha, mine eat my hair. My BO does it as a sport. Anytime I have a strand of hair showing it shimmers and he tasks it and starts trying to eat it. I just pull the strands out of their mouth. It's just a normal habit for me. They like anything new. My BO ran off with the coop key one time and they dropped it into the HAY. I got it but they just love anything so should worry. Just prepare to get your hair pulled once or twice.

 

[CIuck]

haha, mine eat my hair. My BO does it as a sport. Anytime I have a strand of hair showing it shimmers and he tasks it and starts trying to eat it. I just pull the strands out of their mouth. It's just a normal habit for me. They like anything new. My BO ran off with the coop key one time and they dropped it into the HAY. I got it but they just love anything so should worry. Just prepare to get your hair pulled once or twice.

Mine eat my hair too lol

 

[RumneyRoost]

My speckled sussex likes to stare at her reflection and the glare from my glasses. Whenever I come in to clean the coop she hops up onto the roost and stares, following me to get a good look.
Eventually she gets bored since I don't let her get too close to my eyeballs lol. Then she moves on to kicking up all the bedding. Since I'm digging around in there she always thinks that I must be looking for something good. Sorry Speck! Just poop

 

[AntiqueB]

My BO and EE both like to rummage through my hair while they sit on my shoulders. They'll eat it, push it around, try to bury themselves under it, and nibble the roots of it (which translated to getting my scalp pecked). I think birds in general are fascinated by hair -- my indoor pet birds enjoyed playing with it, too.

 

[Flowerpott]

My gal sits behind me and picks thru my hair. Its so funny because if people are over and I'm standing there she will jump up to me and just start preening. If shes on my lap and i have specks of dirt or really anything on me.. She picks everything off. I always joke that she is very concerned with my appearance. Careful though.. They don't know moles are moles and I've had her pick at one and make it bleed.

 

[Flowerpott]

She stopped when i took the picture. But shes always in my hair. I also think its because im mama hen to her. When she was a baby she stayed in my hair a lot. Not by my choice... But i did feel like wizard from lord of the rings who lives with the forest and had the birds nesting in his hair.. Cant remember his name.

 

[WestTNriverrat]

Radigast the brown.