Can you teach chickens to cuddle?

[zimileih]

My girls aren't afraid of me but they don't appreciate being pet around the neck or near their face. They squat and let me pet their backs and I can pick them up, but when it comes to trying to pet them around the neck they try to pull their head away from me like they are uncomfortable. I see many people's chickens enjoy these scratches around the neck, is it something you can teach or will mine always not be a fan of it?

 

[Folly's place]

Chickens are prey animals, and often have no interest in being picked up or held at all. If yours are polite about being held, that's maybe all you should expect of them.
Try treats to encourage the behaviors you want! And no chicken should be near your face and eyes...
Mary

 

[zimileih]

Chickens are prey animals, and often have no interest in being picked up or held at all. If yours are polite about being held, that's maybe all you should expect of them.
Try treats to encourage the behaviors you want! And no chicken should be near your face and eyes...
Mary

Thank you! They're good girls, so I won't force them to be cuddled, especially if they don't like it. And yes they do have an interest in dangling hair and pupils luckily I haven't had the eye thing happen and I keep my face further from them now, but I have seen some others that weren't so lucky so painful. I accidentally wore a stretchy bracelet today and they yanked it and got a good bite on my arm too