It’s not every day that a chicken tries to sit on your shoulder! When this unusual behavior does occur, it often leaves chicken owners scratching their heads and wondering what it means. In this article, we’ll explore the possible explanations behind shoulder-sitting chickens and provide some tips on how to respond.
Why Would a Chicken Want to Sit on Your Shoulder?
There are a few possible reasons why a chicken might try to hop onto your shoulder:
Seeking Attention and Affection
One of the most common reasons is that the chicken sees you as a source of attention and affection. Chickens are social creatures that often form strong bonds with their human caretakers. A chicken that sits on your shoulder may be expressing its desire for quality time and snuggles. It’s a sign that the chicken feels safe and comfortable with you.
Establishing Dominance
In some cases, shoulder-perching may be a chicken’s way of trying to establish itself as the dominant member of the flock. By situating itself above you, the chicken is claiming a position of authority. This behavior is more common in roosters than hens.
Trying to Roost
Chickens have an instinctive urge to roost or perch on high locations when it’s time to rest. They seek elevated spots like tree branches, fence posts, and rafters. Your shoulder happens to be the perfect roosting spot from a chicken’s perspective. A hen that tries to settle down on your shoulder may simply be acting on her natural roosting impulse.
Escaping Stressors
Sometimes chickens will hop onto their caregivers’ shoulders when they feel threatened by another animal or person in the environment. Your shoulder represents a safe haven where the chicken can avoid perceived dangers. By picking them up, you are providing protection and reassurance.
Boredom
Chickens that don’t have adequate mental stimulation and enrichment in their environment may resort to attention-seeking behaviors like shoulder-perching out of boredom. It’s a way for under-stimulated chickens to interact with you and get your reaction.
Is This Behavior Problematic?
In most cases, a chicken that sits on your shoulder can be viewed as perfectly harmless and even endearing. However, there are a few potential concerns to keep in mind:
- Chicken claws can scratch or even puncture your skin, which is painful and raises the risk of infection.
- Chickens carry salmonella bacteria that can be transmitted to humans and make them sick.
- Their flapping wings right by your head and face can be startling and dangerous.
- A chicken that tries to fly up onto your shoulder may inadvertently cause injury if you attempt to catch or block them.
These risks are greater with roosters, who have spurs on their legs that can inflict real damage. Their tendency to be more dominant and aggressive also increases the chances of getting scratched or pecked.
How to Respond to a Shoulder-Sitting Chicken
When faced with a chicken that wants to perch on your shoulder, here are some dos and don’ts:
DO: Support their feet
Gently cradle their feet in your hand to prevent scratches and provide a more secure roosting position. You can also try draping a hand towel over your shoulder first.
DO: Limit their time up there
Letting a chicken settle in too long may encourage the behavior to continue. Keep each shoulder ride brief.
DO: Provide an alternative roost
Place a tall perch or cat tree nearby so they can satisfy their roosting desire in a safer spot.
DO NOT: Encourage the behavior
Avoid petting, feeding, or playing with a shoulder-sitting chicken as this may reinforce the behavior. Remain neutral.
DO NOT: Startle or squeeze the chicken
Sudden movements or restraint could cause the chicken to panic, flap violently, and injure you both.
DO NOT: Let children hold shoulder chickens
Kids are lower to the ground and at greater risk of getting scratched or pecked near their face. Supervise closely.
When to Be Concerned
While the occasional shoulder ride may be fine, you should discourage this behavior from becoming an ingrained habit. It’s time to intervene if:
- The chicken starts displaying aggressive behavior like charging, scratching, or pecking.
- They try to sit on your shoulder every time you enter the coop or run.
- The behavior leads to injuries for you or the chicken.
- It’s impeding your ability to care for the flock.
In these cases, you’ll need to take steps to discourage and redirect the unwanted perching.
How to Stop Unwanted Shoulder-Perching
Here are some training techniques to stop a chicken from viewing your shoulder as their go-to roost:
Withhold rewards
Don’t give any attention to a perching chicken. Walk away and ignore them until they hop down on their own. Reward them once all four feet are on the ground.
Block access
Use your arms to physically prevent them from flapping up onto your shoulder. You can also add barriers around places you sit or stand near the chickens.
Apply bird discouraging gel
Rubbing a thin layer of sticky bird gel on your shoulders makes the perch unappealing. They associate that area with an unpleasant texture.
Issue a verbal cue
Use a firm command like “off” each time you remove them from your shoulder. They’ll learn this means to get down. You can reinforce with treats on the ground.
Increase enrichment
Boost their mental and physical activity with toys, scratch grains, roosting structures, and social time. A busy chicken is less likely to fixate on your shoulder.
With repetition and consistency, your chicken will get the message that your shoulder is off limits for roosting. Keep up the training until the behavior ceases completely.
When to Seek Help
If your unwanted shoulder-perching problem persists despite your best training efforts, it may be time to consult an avian veterinarian or chicken behaviorist. They can assess if there’s an underlying medical issue or environmental cause that needs to be addressed. In rare cases, anti-anxiety medication may be prescribed for extremely stubborn or anxious chickens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have some lingering questions about chickens that like to sit on shoulders? Here are answers to some commonly asked questions:
Why do chickens only sit on one person’s shoulder?
Chickens form social attachments based on which people spend the most time feeding, handling, and bonding with them. The shoulder-perching behavior may reflect a strong rapport with a particular caretaker.
Is shoulder-sitting more common in baby chicks?
Yes, younger chickens are more inclined to treat their human caretakers like a source of warmth and protection. They are also lighter and less hazardous when perching on shoulders.
Can you train a chicken to sit on your shoulder?
While it’s possible to encourage and reinforce this behavior with rewards, it’s generally not recommended. There are risks involved, and they may overgeneralize it to unsuitable situations.
What breed of chicken is most likely to sit on your shoulder?
Silkies and Polish chickens seem especially prone to hopping onto people’s shoulders, likely because their crest limits their vision so they rely more on close contact. But any breed may display this behavior.
Is it safe for chickens to sit on your shoulder?
There are certainly risks involved that warrant caution and supervision when allowing shoulder perching. But with proper handling, it can be done without major safety issues in short durations. Monitor them closely.
The Bottom Line
When a chicken suddenly wants to perch atop your shoulder, it can seem amusing and sweet at first. But this behavior has the potential to become problematic over time. Setting boundaries and training chickens not to view shoulders as roosts is usually the safest bet for both you and your flock. With patience and consistency, you can guide their natural instincts in more positive directions. Just be prepared for the possibility that your feathery friends will still try to test the limits now and then!