Hello, I have a little extra time this morning since its a beautiful 32F here in CT so I wanted to ask a question about Chicken behavior. When I have a chicken in my lap, i am stroking them gently on the neck and body; they seem to like that. now that i am a little more comfortable with them, I wonder if they like being scratched, or massaged as well? This seems like a silly question, but I'm curious what more experienced chicken people think. I went as far as massaging their underside where all the fluff is. Or, instead of gently petting their neck and body, i get my fingers way under their neck feathers and scratch as close to the skin instead of on top of the feathers. Maybe they will tell me what they like by their behavior. I am slowly learning them as the seasons change and its fascinating.
Since we're on topic, if your still reading this, sometimes when i go into the coop, the girls will sqaut down in front of me. When they do this, i reach down and scratch their neck between their wings and they shake shake shake! What are they saying when they do this? Another thing i notice is a type of purring noise. not all time, but sometimes at roost time I will talk to them and I hear what sounds like a purr of sorts. It sounds relaxed and precious so i assume its a good noise, but again, I am very curious about their behaviors. In the morning when I go into the run, they are super chatty. Why? Is a chatty chicken happy or what? I imagine maybe they are happy to start a new day and telling me to get their scratch down so they can get to work, but I dont know. I think its funny that I have 6 pullets and 4 nesting boxes but they ALL only use 2. They are very funny little buggers that i can watch for hours and hours. Roost time is too dramatic for me to sit through. I check the cameras at dark to make sure everyone has their place and they normally do. I only counted 5 one night and went out there and a gal was in the nesting box! I put her up on roost and she stayed there all night. Funny little buggers tho! I like how durable they are. tough Chickens! Until a big wind gust comes!!
Since we're on topic, if your still reading this, sometimes when i go into the coop, the girls will sqaut down in front of me. When they do this, i reach down and scratch their neck between their wings and they shake shake shake! What are they saying when they do this? Another thing i notice is a type of purring noise. not all time, but sometimes at roost time I will talk to them and I hear what sounds like a purr of sorts. It sounds relaxed and precious so i assume its a good noise, but again, I am very curious about their behaviors. In the morning when I go into the run, they are super chatty. Why? Is a chatty chicken happy or what? I imagine maybe they are happy to start a new day and telling me to get their scratch down so they can get to work, but I dont know. I think its funny that I have 6 pullets and 4 nesting boxes but they ALL only use 2. They are very funny little buggers that i can watch for hours and hours. Roost time is too dramatic for me to sit through. I check the cameras at dark to make sure everyone has their place and they normally do. I only counted 5 one night and went out there and a gal was in the nesting box! I put her up on roost and she stayed there all night. Funny little buggers tho! I like how durable they are. tough Chickens! Until a big wind gust comes!!
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