Well, I count it if they're standing on their own while allowing me to touch them. If I touch and they jump down, I'm not really in control of the situation.
With a reluctant chicken, I pick up with one hand under the belly between the legs and the other hand on their back. OR, two hands from above/behind, thumbs over the wings and with fingers under the bird to support their body. It just takes a bit of practice. And, remaining calm yourself absolutely makes a difference.
As for how to preen a chicken, it's basically using your fingernails like a beak... scratching at the feathers that aren't all of the way in yet so the loose coating comes off. It's very gentle and I have yet to meet a bird that doesn't love a good preen. Those pin feathers are itchy, I think, and birds preen other birds in their flock so it's a semi-natural experience for them. I used to preen my parrot and she'd turn into melted butter in my hands so it only made sense to me to do the same with a chicken.
