Hens following me and pecking me after treats, normal??

[alyssars1]

Today we were eating outside, we grilled steak for dinner. We were sitting in our enclosed porch and the hens were watching us and clucking, so I gave them each a tiny piece of my steak...

So after dinner I went into the yard with them and they kept pecking my legs, toes and trying to fly up on me (even chased my daughter's feet!) What the heck, they've never done this!

Is this normal lol? Here I am wandering if my dang chickens got rabies or something (is that possible??)

 

[Sapphire Sebright]

I'd guess that they're pestering you for more treats. Chickens love meat, so the steak probably set it off. "It" being, y'know, their insatiable bloodlust.
In all seriousness, they probably just want more steak or what-have-you.

 

[Folly's place]

They can learn to be more polite, and not peck at you!
Wear jeans and shoes or boots too, so you aren't wounded out there.
Don't hand feed, peck back fast and hard if one pecks you, and encourage 'social distancing' soonest. Cute behaviors can escalate into not so cute habits, and these birds can respect your space if you are firm about it. Carry something, like a stick, bucket, or broom, and just happen to bump whoever isn't getting out of your way. You aren't attacking, just moving along, and accidently swinging your bucket in that direction. It's subtle, but if you watch birds interact with each other, dominant individuals walk around, and less dominant individuals get out of the way, and don't peck at them.
You are the queen, the giant who brings food, and don't need to be pecked!
Mary