Just wondering, is it just my chickens or do most chickens don’t like to be petted?

[Chickeeaholic]

I think the breed of the chicken can have a lot to do with it.

 

[Lady Clucks-a-Lot]

She is beautiful. It would go a lot better for you both if you didn’t chase her at all but gave her special treats for coming back to you. Predators chase chickens. It’s in their instinct to run for their lives when chased.

I call mine with a high-pitched chick-chick-chick-chick-chick and reward them with BSFGs.

Well, I did try that before I started using a net, but she don’t fall for it, no matter how much she normally loves treat, she can tell when I’m trying to get her and she won’t even let within distance.

 

[Tozan]

a few of mine think their lap dogs they will jump in my lap and sit, sleep and love being petted. They are very social.

 

[Lady Clucks-a-Lot]

Wow, my chickens hate being flipped over with their belly up, it’s amazing that yours like it!

 

[Sammster]

Mine love to be near me, but they don't like being pet. They are RIRs

 

[Cat Ballou]

Well, I did try that before I started using a net, but she don’t fall for it, no matter how much she normally loves treat, she can tell when I’m trying to get her and she won’t even let within distance.

That just means she didn’t get enough treats just because. She knows there are strings attached. Only you can change that. Call her, drop some treats, and just let her have the freebies Maybe in 2 months come back with very small demands that she has the power to refuse.

 

[rosemarythyme]

It really is an individual thing, some birds are just more people friendly than others.

 

[Lady Clucks-a-Lot]

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This is a pic of my younger hen, Dumpling. Shes the fastest I’ve ever seen! We don’t let them free range a lot so every time she escapes the run I have to use a big fishing net to catch her because I can’t get her with my hands.

Also does anyone know what breed she is? I know that she's half Leghorn but I'm really not sure what's the other half.

 

[kcan2]

a few of mine think their lap dogs they will jump in my lap and sit, sleep and love being petted. They are very social.
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This is the best thing I've seen all week!

My chickens usually never appreciate being "swooped down upon" by scary hands from above. My best chance of catching them at all is if I first get low to the ground, on their level, facing sideways (not staring at them like a predator would), and putting my hand sort of underneath them, like chicken scooping. Before they quite realize what has happened, they have been scooped up. Mine are bantams so they are good scoop sizes.

Generally, they associate my hands as being the harbinger of good things (food, treats), so their trust enables me to get close, or at least outsmart them into being scooped