Where or how do your chickens like to be pet?

[Tala]

They seem to like their chest rubbed.

My chickens follow me around, but they're not real huge on being petted. I mostly just gently pet them on the back or outside of their wings with my hands flat. They don't mind, but like I said they don't beg for it either.

The more you do it though, they start to like it! I know my roo got more used to being handled after I carried him from the porch rail to his proper roost several nights in a row. Finally seem to have convinced him where he belongs!

 

[Pennyhen]

75% of my 27 chickens are most times untouchable,but, they are right in my face as I garden so I will randomly snatch one of them up given the chance and they squawk like I am doing them grevious bodily harm for a few seconds till I soothe them into submission and when I put them down they are right there under my face again within literally seconds and I have to scoot them away with my hands

so I can see to pull weeds.
I have a large EE roo I call Buddy that loves to have the top of his head and the sides of his comb scratched, he gets jealous if I pick up any other chicken.
My favorite, a barred rock hen I call girly girl likes to be snuggled, I put my face on the back of her head and talk "baby puppy talk" to her (who's my beautiful chicken, youre such a good girl, I love my good chicky girl....) while stroking the sides of her neck and chest. She is the only one that, if she ends up in the neighbors yard, I can say"girly girl, you are on the wrong side, get back over in your own yard" and she will just fly up over the fence to our yard. any other chicken that somehow ends up on the wrong side of the fence will spend the day over there and only fly back at roosting time..... thankfully my neighbors have a large yard too and no dogs. I have gone over to try to get chooks home and it is a PITA! they stay till bedtime now.
who knows wth chickens do what they do?, not I, I know nothing.

 

[kcfuerst]

Mine like to have their bellies scratched. Just reach under their tummies like I was going to lift them up and they fall flat in my hand waiting for for my fingers to open and close from just under their crop to behind their legs. Some of them also like to get a massage under their wings on their backs where their wings usually rest. Silly girls.

 

[mandelyn]

Jibbers the roo likes me to pick the feather casings from behind his head where he can't reach them, as well as his comb/waddles rubbed, under his wings, and his belly. But the feather picking is what he likes best, comes to me and flys up and sets his head down for it! (think of a tame cockatiel dropping it's head for attention)

Prissy likes her tail petted, like a cat. Start at the base, pull up the length of the tail, repeat. She'll jump into my lap, settle in like she's nest building, and speak little hen noises while I pet her tail.

So far they're the only 2 that enjoy it so much they come to me, the other 4... Chipmunk hates me and there's no calming her, her pullet Lil'Bit likes her head rubbed and that'll calm her right down, and the two new game hens, one hates me, the other likes to be wrapped into my jacket and pet around the head, belly. Seems to really like a crop massage when I check to see how they're eating.

 

[Puck-Puck]

Although petting is not high on their list of likes, different kinds of touch have been more acceptable to them at different ages. Some tolerated a crop massage (when the crop was bulging); later, they didn't mind if I stroked their wings, but didn't want their backs touched. Now that they're laying age, the ones that squat seem to like the nape of the neck gently rubbed or roughed a little, and the non-squatters will at least tolerate that for a moment. I still don't have any lap chickens--perhaps that's for the best!

 

[Egg_newton]

I only have one who will let me pet or pick him up. He like to have his head and neck scratched. He will stretch his neck out for me to scratch underneath or snuggle down and close his eyes when I rub his head. I like to stroke his back. He doesn't mind that either.

 

[SheeReno]

Our 10 week BO pullet does the cutest thing on my lap. I put my arm under her neck, in front of her chest, and then I gently stroke the back of her neck. She'll strecth out her whole neck along my arm so I can pet the whole thing!!!

 

[CallyB57]

I mainly pet the top of their head and gently around their eyes and wattles, and I do rub their feet on the bottom (they like it, plus I'm feeling for scabs, or anything else that might seem odd). When I pet their heads and around their eyes, they close their eyes and go to sleep.

 

[augustmomx2]

I have 10 chickens and only the two BRs enjoy being pet. So much so, that when I feed them (their feed sits on top of their nest boxes, near their feeder) they hop on top of the nest box and "purr." They squat and enjoy being pet from head to tail, esp near their tail. All the others, especially the EEs and BAs HATE being touched. Although it doesn't stop me from trying

 

[fiberart57]

Most of mine seem to be outgrowing the "don't touch me phase" and will let me get in a bit of schmoozling. When I grab them and pick them up for serious smooches they squawk indignantly but when I go to set them down after the cuddles they don't really leave my hands.

Right now that they seem to be coming into lay at 25 weeks, they like their backs ruffled and scratched, even my very shy Australorp. I'll rub their chests and talk to them and they like it.

It's just one of those evenings that I went out to the yard to clean things up and they followed me everywhere talking about the news and the struggles of the European Union.

Mary