Roosting on people...disrespect?

Hi All-

I've always considered my Red Sex Link ladies to be pretty friendly (I'm new to them, and they're new to me, only 17 weeks and my first chickens), but I have a couple of them who keep trying to roost on me without us having that conversation first. For example, I will be hanging around the pen, watching everybody, when *whoosh* I have a chicken try to awkwardly roost on me by fluttering/climbing her way up me! I sometimes catch one or two eyeing me like they want to _try_ that move, but so far have moved my position when I notice that look. Also, I often feed the ladies as they perch on the roost in their pen area. It is without fail that I end up with one or two on my forearm, which doesn't startle me as much, but often happens tres rapido!

Now, I have horses, and am well versed in how they view space, and understand that invading space is a sign of aggression/dominance/disrespect. Obviously, chickens aren't horses, but I am interested to know if I need to deal with this from the standpoint of asserting myself, or welcoming a friendly gesture.

Thoughts?

Thanks!
-Christian

 

Wow! What a relief (I tend toward micromanagement, and sometimes..ie NOW...need to reign myself in). We do pick them up and pat them a lot, we've tried to do that consistently from the start (again, micromanagement). It's just startling when I wasn't paying attention!

-Christian

 

An update:

So, after having my frame of reference redefined, I enter my pen ready to accept my chicken's "love". Yesterday, nothing, today...I lean down to push in the bottom of the door, as it's sticky, and *whoosh* up on my shoulder goes a pullet. I peer to my right side, and she bends over to look at me, upside down of course, and purrs.

It was pretty cool. She must think I'm fairly stupid, because I then called for my husband...he, thinking I was yelling at the dog for barking (which he wasn't), ignored me. I scooted over to the outside roost and she hopped off.

Chickens are wonderous!

-Christian