Do chickens ever lightly peck you just to say "Hello"?

[WickedChicksNH]

Wicked, I see you having a wounded lip sometime, at least!
Mary

lol you are probably right, trust me I will post it when I do.
One of my little ones when they were still in the house with me and sitting on my shoulder poked me right in the eye, had a red eye for a few days.

I lie now to my BF when he asks where I got a scratch or whatever, because he just goes, why do you let them do that??

I am it's not like they are a dog and I can punish them,

 

[Folly's place]

Again, no bird gets near my face!
Mary

 

[Ginmary]

I have dollar store safety glasses that go on anytime a chicken hops up on my lap. I also learned that the hard way with a 1/8” gash just missing my cornea.

 

[Folly's place]

Loosing an eye is not a good thing!!!

 

[goldenfingers]

I generally swat them away, but I was wondering if pecking was *only* to establish hierarchy or if it also could mean other things. If it's only to establish the order then maybe I need to start pecking back with my fingers.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Based on how bad it hurt, and how long it took to heal, when my (late) rooster smacked me on the knee bone with his beak, I would caution everybody: do NOT allow your chickens to peck you at all, for any reason! Especially, as @Folly's place says, keep your chickens away from your face, you could lose an eye. Chickens peck eack other to establish pecking order, yes, but also to protect themselves and their chicks, to guard their food, and to communicate. Imitate it to protect yourself and to communicate. Consider it "ChickenSpeak." If you allow yourself to be pecked, you are placing yourself lower on the pecking order, and there you'll stay unless you move yourself up.