Why do my chickens keep flying onto my back.

[johny]

Careful, chickenalice.
This is a great website but some members are so pro-chicken, that they can’t differentiate aggression from friendliness.

I regard my chickens as serious predators, same as my super friendly Shetland Sheepdog and my cat.
Only difference is that the dog and cat are smart fast learners and have never in 8 years shown the slightest tendency to be aggressive to me or my children.

I don’t tolerate a dog or cat jumping on me unexpectedly.
You should not tolerate chickens doing the same.
Be firm without hurting them and give them a good smack on the side of their bodies to indicate the behaviour is not welcome. There are numerous threads on this site about aggressive roosters getting sent to the stew pot. I think many could have been avoided if someone had defended themselves effectively the first time the bird jumped them.
I had a hen jump my head from behind, a few months ago, when I bent over to get an egg (she was not in the box). One arm swing over my head to smack her off and it has never happened again.

I may get some flack for this response.
But what else are you going to do?
Get pushed around by a chicken?

 

[Desert Rooster]

my RIR always flies up an perches on my arm when i enter their run with a plate.
she wants to be the first to see what i bring them to eat

 

[Qi Chicken]

Marge, an EE, often flies up to my shoulder for BOSS. She loves to sit up there because she gets extra treats. I like her there because I think it's fun to have a chicken riding on my shoulder. I was surprised the first time but now I just watch her (she is the only one that does this) and you can tell when she is coming. I don't wear earrings so don't have to worry about that. I do have eyes, but she is looking for seeds. I guess it boils down to whether or not you like it. I do, I don't think it's aggressive, just interested. I also sit in the coop on the low roost and wait for them to come jump on my lap. Most come for a pet and then jump down after awhile.

I do have a friend that came over and walked out to the coop with me. I think she was throwing boss out but I can't remember for sure. Marge flew up on her shoulder. Shocked her as you can imagine.

 

[DoloresRun]

mr. birdaholic :

Why do my chickens keep flying onto my back............Because there's no room in your nose. Bird of Paradise has it occupied.

Oh, never mind.

THAT..... Made me laugh

 

[centrarchid]

In most instances, chickens flying up on you is an indicator of trust. I have some birds trained to do so. They are motivated by potential food and a warm secure place to stand. With some cooped birds, they may also be looking simply for an elevated location to fly to. Determining whether an individual is being aggressive or not requires knowledge of vocal and non-vocal signals.

Johny, study your birds closer.

 

[tlaikman]

Mine do it al the time ,They just want to be fed .

 

[Ali707]

My Red Star has done this twice. Both times I was wearing a jacket with a design on the back and she started pecking at it. She is the most pushy and adventurous of all my girls and was looking to get any new food first.

I didn't care for it though because both times she had poop on her feet and I had to wash the darn thing. She really likes my Disney jacket and so do I. Poop stains are not desirable.

The idea about dominance crossed my mind however, and I watch her closely for it.

 

[HeritageHens]

My EE roo, Toby, was always one of the first to sit on my lap or shoulder when I was in their run. One day he did fly onto my shoulder while free ranging (supervised, of course). Kinda startled me! My Buff Orpington hen, Cashew is the top hen and she, too, is the first to fly onto my back when I bend over. When I do sit in their run, I usually have 4 chickens on me and each have their favorite place to preen & sleep. It seems to be more of a curiosity thing and I've never interpreted it as dominant behavior but more of trust given that they frequently fall asleep on me.

Oddly enough, my Black Australorp, Blackberry, laid her first egg(s) today (another story) and she flew onto my arm 3 times while I had them out free ranging this morning. She's never done that before! I kept telling her she did good by laying the eggs. I guess maybe she needed reassurance that she was ok.

 

[Judy]

I won't smack them, but I also won't tolerate jumping onto my back or shoulders, I push them off immediately. If I'm sitting and one jumps on my lap, however, that's different. I figure my head is higher than them so it's not dominance. There is such a thing as a friendly chicken.

They live in a pecking order world and you must be the lead chicken. Be careful not to anthropomorphize them.

 

[sixxchixx]

My EE Cleo jumps on my shoulder/arm/lap/back/anywhere she can almost daily. she is the least agressive chicken i have and I think its more love and trust than her trying to out-dominate me. In fact ill walk into the run, look down on her and put my arm out for her to jump onto. Its kinda like a party trick she and I do. It cracks up any guest we may have who arent familiar with chickens.

the only problem is when she surprises me with poopy feet or when im wearing a tanktop... those nails combined with a 7lb chicken can hurt!!