I have to add to this thread...and while it may not be a dumb comment, it is the most common thing people say when they meet my chickens.
I guess, to me, keeping chickens has just become second nature, I don't think anything of it, but I forget that there are TONS of people that have never even been close to a live chicken before...let alone have their first up close and personal chicken encounter be at my house with a chicken on their lap.
We've got 2 BO hens and they were hand raised in the house until 10 weeks, because they were my first chickens that I raised from day old babies, they got spoiled...spoiled to the point that if you sit down on my back porch, you are 100% definitely going to have at least 1 of the 2 hens hop in your lap for cuddles.
First off, an old friend came into town for a visit so she came over to see the house, meet the chickens, drink wine etc. She met the chicks that were in the tub in my craft room, had no problems with them...picked them up, cuddled them, told me they were the cutest things ever.
We went out on the back porch to sit and the 2 BOs came running at us...she freaked out, tensed up and seemed to think that these hens were coming to kill her!
I told her that it was alright, that they just wanted to say hi, and then they'd be on their way.
She sat down and both chickens immediately started casing her and the chair, trying to figure out the best way onto her lap, and hopefully into meal worms [at least I assumed that this is what they were thinking.]
Once the hen was up there, she started petting her, and this look of pure wonder crossed her face...she turned to me and said "OMG. I can't believe how SOFT she is!!!"
I thought it was the funniest thing I'd ever heard, it's a chicken....covered in feathers! Of course she's soft! I didn't ask, but I always wondered what she thought the chicken was going to feel like.
But anyway, the most common thing I hear out of adults mouths are "Ohhhh, it's so soft!"
Which I find odd, because I've NEVER had a kid pet my chicken and say anything like that...it's like kids know chickens are soft, but somewhere between childhood and adulthood, they forget.