beak-wiping

[urbanfred]

I'm just curious....what is the reason for the wiping of the beak on the ground? My three girls do this fifty times a day.
Is it marking turf, like cats do? If so, is there a scent gland involved?
Is it to sharpen the beak (lordy, I hope not)?
Is this a silly question?

 

[speckledhen]

Hey, they don't have napkins, so they have to wipe their mouths somewhere, LOL. Seriously, that's all it is. If I give them something like yogurt, they always do that.

 

[Southern28Chick]

It's not a silly question! I always thought they were just wiping their mouths. Mine do it a lot after eating watermelon.

 

[Jsto]

Mine love to use me as a napkin. I suppose clothing and even skin work better as a wiper-offer than the dirt! I swear, sometimes they'll hop up on me and I stupidly think they're coming for a bit of a snuggle, but they're just using me!

 

[speckledhen]

LOL, I get used, too, but anything for my girls!

 

[SpottedCrow]

Just using us as a convenient napkin...sigh...
It usually if they've gotten something sticky or goopy.

 

[Critter Crazy]

they are just doing what my kids do on their shirt sleeves!

 

[3peeps]

My really intense young Australorp does this all the time, or at least a lot more than the other two. Maybe she (he?) has OCD.

 

[3peeps]

Quote:
Or on our shirt sleeves, especially if we're wearing something nice!

 

[annrich]

Yup just looking for a napkin!! My 5 week old BO used my big toe to clean her beak. I just had a pedicure too.