Pecked My Eye!

[XanderWiFi]

Came home from work and made my morning round to visit the girls. Had some of my leftover ham sandwich to share. One of the leghorns will frequently jump onto my shoulders to hang out for a bit. She is always polite to my surprise. I expect a shot towards my eyes, ears, face, anything but she just hangs out for a bit and jumps down.

Mohawk, my favorite, was craning her neck, stretching it upwards looking like she wanted to come up. In the past she has done this but has taken my by surprise when jumping up coming at me from the front which usually ends with her catching a forearm mid flight. I don't perceive anything aggressive from it. She used to do it as a chick and clamor up my chest to my shoulder to perch.

Today she was polite and jumped up from behind like the leghorn while I was crouched. While feeling pleased she got it right and feeling safe with her on the back half of my shoulder she reached around and nipped me right in the eye! I never even saw it coming. She then pecked at my hair but I had enough of Mohawk time at that point.

I grabbed her up feeling like pulling an Ozzy in my irritation but quickly settled as she remained as chill and trusting as ever. Went inside, couldn't even find a mark on my eye. It's a little sore but I consider myself lucky. She probably just wanted to see what the shininess was. No more shoulder rides I think from here on out.

 

[Trish1974]

I've had that happen. A few months after I started my flock I was on my knees fixing a hole in the fence when one of my hens jumped on my back. As I turned my head around to see who it was I was got a beak right in the eye... HARD! It actually made a loud thud! I ran into the house terrified I was going to lose my eye. I immediately flushed it with a homeopathic rinse and continued to do so for 3 days. A few hours after the tearing and pain subsided I could see a red dot right next to my iris. I can't believe I didn't have any permanent damage for as hard as she pecked me! No one is allowed on my back, shoulders, or anywhere near my face anymore! The culprit who was then unnamed, is now named Peck!

 

[Mimi13]

I don’t ever worry when I have my glasses on, but am very cautious when wearing my contacts. A word of caution though, at a mere 5 months old, my BO, Butter, picked my diamond stud earring right out of my ear. Unfortunately, this pair did not have the screw on backs. Needless to say I was shocked and upset at the same time. A word to the wise: don’t wear expensive earrings when a chicken is allowed to perch on your shoulder.

 

[Nardo]

Came home from

I grabbed her up feeling like pulling an Ozzy in my irritation but quickly settled as she remained as chill and trusting as ever. Went inside, couldn't even find a mark on my eye. It's a little sore but I consider myself lucky. She probably just wanted to see what the shininess was. No more shoulder rides I think from here on out.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Back in the 50s and 60s when my family operated a two man chicken processing plant I lost track of the shiny bobbles (like dimes and costume jewelry) that we recovered from the gizzards of our broiler-fryers and baking hens.

 

[Mimi13]

Back in the 50s and 60s when my family operated a two man chicken processing plant I lost track of the shiny bobbles (like dimes and costume jewelry) that we recovered from the gizzards of our broiler-fryers and baking hens.

Trust you me, I definitely will be checking my hen’s gizzard when her time is up in hopes the diamond never wore down enough to be passed. I know it’ll be a long shot, but I can still hope. She is not quite 2 yo and still laying just fine, so I’ll just sit back and wait.

 

[Trish1974]

I don’t ever worry when I have my glasses on, but am very cautious when wearing my contacts. A word of caution though, at a mere 5 months old, my BO, Butter, picked my diamond stud earring right out of my ear. Unfortunately, this pair did not have the screw on backs. Needless to say I was shocked and upset at the same time. A word to the wise: don’t wear expensive earrings when a chicken is allowed to perch on your shoulder.

Ah yes, jewelry! That is another good warning to heed! My friend and his wife came over to see my flock when I first got them, and as she stretched her hand out to one of the girls another one reached under her hand and grabbed her wedding ring! The hen actually loosened the diamond in the setting and friend's wife had to take it to the jewelry shop to get fixed.

 

[Folly's place]

No bird gets near my face! Glasses on or not, it's just bad policy and too risky.
No bird jumps on me without my permission either. If I invite, that's fine, otherwise, they respect my space. 'Cuteness' can get you in trouble sometimes.
Mary

 

[Mimi13]

Ah yes, jewelry! That is another good warning to heed! My friend and his wife came over to see my flock when I first got them, and as she stretched her hand out to one of the girls another one reached under her hand and grabbed her wedding ring! The hen actually loosened the diamond in the setting and friend's wife had to take it to the jewelry shop to get fixed.

The power of their peck is amazing!

 

[Mimi13]

No bird gets near my face! Glasses on or not, it's just bad policy and too risky.
No bird jumps on me without my permission either. If I invite, that's fine, otherwise, they respect my space. 'Cuteness' can get you in trouble sometimes.
Mary

Oh yes, I totally agree with you, Mary. This all happened when I first got my chicks and, yes, when I thought all their actions were “cute.”