How do you pet a chicken?

[AZchickenchick]

Here is a goofy question but I'm a newbie so please don't roll your eyes: Do chickens like to be touched or petted? I know parrots love having their neck gently scritched, it must feel like another birdie beak grooming them. Do chickens like that? We are trying to get our baby chicks used to us, they seem to enjoy it when we breathe heavily on them while cupped in our hands, obviously because it is warm. What else can we do to make them happy and secure?

 

[hinky toes]

I have a variety of brown egg layers. My wyandottes love, love, love to be held and petted on the breast and head. The RIR's also are affectionate, but not nearly as much as the wyandottes. If I am bent down working on a coop project or cleaning, the wyandottes or RIR's climb up on my back and shoulders and roost. Everyone else (orpingtons, australorps) could care less to be petted. They only care about treats and scratch.

 

[orcasislandchickens]

Mine love to be cuddled up, it is cold here. If I have my laptop they wait for me to move it. If I do ,for any reason, I suddenly have a lapful of chickens all settling into the warm nest. The somewhat flighty little auracana chicks (my newbies) seem to love to be talked to.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Sometimes they like their combs and wattles rubbed.
Under their beaks.
If you pat the back of a laying hen, you'll probably get a "squat" like she's letting the roo "do the deed". sometimes you'll get an "atomic squat" where she opens her wings and smacks her tummy on the floor.

Miss MoneyPenny used to like having the back of her head scritched.

 

[kinnip]

Quote:
I have one of these. She's started coming up and begging for it lately. It's becoming a bit unnerving.
My girls are pretty social. They like being talked to and some of them like being held. Those who want to be held rarely wait for me to pick them up, they just fly on up to a shoulder or my back. Earlier today I found myself swarmed by three standard sized hens on my shoulders and arms.
I pet most of them on the back when they're one the ground and am mostly met with a catlike reverse back arch. They don't usually run away, they just squat and waddle under my hand.

 

[mistylady]

All of my Dominques come running up and beg to be picked up and petted. Most of the hens flop over on my lap and put a wing in the air to be petted under the wing. If I don't sit down fast enough one will fly up to my shoulder and perch. Its cute until she poos.

But they all love to be petted and talked to. Especially baby talk!!!

 

[flakey chick]

Mine are a little standoffish, but when I had to carry them around, I wore and extra shirt and tucked them "under each wing" of my shirt. They seemed to feel secure and comfortable that way like under momma's wings.

 

[Superior Chicks]

My Buff Orpington girls fight over me to see who can get petted first! They are by far the most affectionate breed I have ever raised. They LOVE to be stroked from head to tail. I would never own another breed--I adore them.

Ma

 

[cmom]

BYC is an excellent source.

Here are some good sites.
http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKPoultryPage.html

 

[auracana07]

don't worry about stupid questions, we all have them. I'm a bit of a newbie too. My chickens have just started laying. Just being with them is good and they don't mind being stroked at all. The chicks you have will like being in your hands because it is nice and warm. My chickens loved and still do like to be petted every time I pick them up. Have fun!