while holding a chicken on my Lap

[Sandfly45]

I discovered a way to make my chickens love me more today, but I feel a bit weird about it... lol So I was hanging out with my Orpingtons today, they're really friendly handraised girls and boys. I went to pat one and put both my hands under her wings and firmly massaged her waist and top of her thighs for a few seconds.. She made a loud "omg don't tickle me" noise, then she went head down, bum up and started purring... I put her down, she shook her feathers then followed me round for 20 minutes until i left the chook run.
The roosters did the same thing, but 1 squirted down my leg ....
I think I've accidently triggered a sexual behaviour in the birds (it was an innocent mistake honestly!!!), but it's strangely lovely that they have a new appreciation for me lol

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

I discovered a way to make my chickens love me more today, but I feel a bit weird about it... lol So I was hanging out with my Orpingtons today, they're really friendly handraised girls and boys. I went to pat one and put both my hands under her wings and firmly massaged her waist and top of her thighs for a few seconds.. She made a loud "omg don't tickle me" noise, then she went head down, bum up and started purring... I put her down, she shook her feathers then followed me round for 20 minutes until i left the chook run.
The roosters did the same thing, but 1 squirted down my leg ....
I think I've accidently triggered a sexual behaviour in the birds (it was an innocent mistake honestly!!!), but it's strangely lovely that they have a new appreciation for me lol

Its a funny thing! I cant say that’s its only a mating thing because I have noticed they do it to me the most when I go to let them out for their afternoon stroll. As soon as I open the door, at least 3 out of 6 will squat right at my feet. Whats curious, is, if the weather is unfavorable to them, and they won’t leave the run, I never get this response. So in my experience, my chickens squat as a way of expressing happiness. If I have 3 chickens squatting, I want everyone to get a little scratch, so I’ll scratch their neck and pet down to the tail feathers , and end with a little tug of the tail feathers, lol. They always respond with a nice full shake shake and then carry on.

 

[K0k0shka]

The squat is an instinct, nothing to do with their intelligence or recognizing if you're a rooster or a human. They know full well that you're not a rooster, they just can't help it. It's meant for the rooster to be able to get on top, but is an automatic reaction that can be triggered by anything hovering overhead or standing tall next to them - human, animal, even another hen, or an inanimate object! It's also a sign of submission. Some hens will squat if a more dominant hen comes near them, to show submission. That's all there is to it.

There's a purring/trilling noise they make when they are getting ready to sleep (either on the roost at night, or napping during the day). It's a very relaxing kind of sound, meant to quiet everybody down and get them ready for sleep. There's a similar sound that they make as an alarm call when they sense danger, and it's also meant to communicate to the others to be quiet, but it's louder, more shrill, and more of a "shut up so the boogeyman doesn't find us!" kind of sound, not the "calm down and go to sleep" kind of sound that the other one is.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

The squat is an instinct, nothing to do with their intelligence or recognizing if you're a rooster or a human. They know full well that you're not a rooster, they just can't help it. It's meant for the rooster to be able to get on top, but is an automatic reaction that can be triggered by anything hovering overhead or standing tall next to them - human, animal, even another hen, or an inanimate object! It's also a sign of submission. Some hens will squat if a more dominant hen comes near them, to show submission. That's all there is to it.

There's a purring/trilling noise they make when they are getting ready to sleep (either on the roost at night, or napping during the day). It's a very relaxing kind of sound, meant to quiet everybody down and get them ready for sleep. There's a similar sound that they make as an alarm call when they sense danger, and it's also meant to communicate to the others to be quiet, but it's louder, more shrill, and more of a "shut up so the boogeyman doesn't find us!" kind of sound, not the "calm down and go to sleep" kind of sound that the other one is.

I like my thinking better but I’m sure your correct kokoshka. Thank you for the explanation. (Zzzz, but whatever)! *Whispers to self* they still do it cause they are happy to see me

 

[Anime2lover]

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!!

They tend to like their ears and cheeks scratched/rubber to.

 

[K0k0shka]

I like my thinking better but I’m sure your correct kokoshka. Thank you for the explanation. (Zzzz, but whatever)! *Whispers to self* they still do it cause they are happy to see me

If you don’t want or like the truth, then don’t ask the question.

 

[MildlyOffensiveChicken]

Play it by observation.

I think it is easy to perceive if the bird is in distress. I have birds that will fall asleep in my lap and others that will protest until I let them loose.