My chicken groomed me!

[SampyArctica]

I tried searching to see if this has happened to many people before, but I could only find on tips for HOW to groom a chicken, not to be groomed BY a chicken.

At night, before hopping into their hutch, my two nine-week-olds like to jump up on my lap and have a bit of a snuggle, or sit up on my shoulder/neck/head. Tonight, my Gold-Laced Wyandotte was perched on my shoulder and I could feel her doing something to my hair/neckline, so I got my phone and turned the camera backwards so I could see what she was doing, and lo and behold - she was grooming me! She was going through my hair as if they were her own feathers!

Is this some sort of compliment, or is she trying to tell me I'm dirty and need to wash my hair...? Has this ever happened to other people before?

I never even seen my chickens grooming any other chicken but themselves!

 

[jak2002003]

oh, thats very sweet.

They must really trust you and feel safe with you.

Yest they will groom you as they think you are one of them.. maybe their mother.

Then tend to do this when they are young, but when they get older and start laying eggs they get less affectionate.

 

[MrPaterax]

Real cute, awww

 

[SilkiesForEver]

That's sweet!

My favorite cockerel did that to me once. He was such a cutie.

I think its an affectionate gesture.

 

[KayP]

Awww! That's amazing! They really love you!

 

[SampyArctica]

I never thought chickens could be affectionate, that's why I thought I'd bring it up, haha. Accepting, sure, but are affectionate chickens really common? Or is it a behaviour that occurs very often? They really only do it right before they go to bed in the late afternoon, but they're more accepting of me during the day than my partner, apparently.

Do they really get less friendly once they start laying? Or just less affectionate? I'd be more than happy if they still wanted their 'goodnight's for the rest of their lives! Haha!

 

[Selena0699]

I tried searching to see if this has happened to many people before, but I could only find on tips for HOW to groom a chicken, not to be groomed BY a chicken.

At night, before hopping into their hutch, my two nine-week-olds like to jump up on my lap and have a bit of a snuggle, or sit up on my shoulder/neck/head. Tonight, my Gold-Laced Wyandotte was perched on my shoulder and I could feel her doing something to my hair/neckline, so I got my phone and turned the camera backwards so I could see what she was doing, and lo and behold - she was grooming me! She was going through my hair as if they were her own feathers!

Is this some sort of compliment, or is she trying to tell me I'm dirty and need to wash my hair...? Has this ever happened to other people before?

I never even seen my chickens grooming any other chicken but themselves!

This is what my chickens do even my adult ones, to me i actually enjoy it tbh. They don't do it hard infavt they are gentle about it so it just feels nice. But they also do it anytime I'm outside sitting in my lawn chair

 

[Momof5chattychkicks]

I tried searching to see if this has happened to many people before, but I could only find on tips for HOW to groom a chicken, not to be groomed BY a chicken.

At night, before hopping into their hutch, my two nine-week-olds like to jump up on my lap and have a bit of a snuggle, or sit up on my shoulder/neck/head. Tonight, my Gold-Laced Wyandotte was perched on my shoulder and I could feel her doing something to my hair/neckline, so I got my phone and turned the camera backwards so I could see what she was doing, and lo and behold - she was grooming me! She was going through my hair as if they were her own feathers!

Is this some sort of compliment, or is she trying to tell me I'm dirty and need to wash my hair...? Has this ever happened to other people before?

I never even seen my chickens grooming any other chicken but themselves!

I don’t know if you’re going to see this. But one of my chickens does this too me. I’m happy to see it’s like a compliment.