What does it mean when a chicken rubs its beak across your hand?

[Merci BeauCoop]

Our chicks are 8 weeks old now and we notice that they rub their beak across our hand fairly often. Does anyone know why they do this?

 

[SueT]

What I've seen is that they are cleaning their beaks, lol. They'll wipe them on you, like a little kid wiping his dirty hands on your clothes.

 

[Merci BeauCoop]

What I've seen is that they are cleaning their beaks, lol. They'll wipe them on you, like a little kid wiping his dirty hands on your clothes.

Great analogy - thanks!

 

[Shadrach]

Our chicks are 8 weeks old now and we notice that they rub their beak across our hand fairly often. Does anyone know why they do this?

You may just be very lucky.
I've seen a very few adult rooster do something similar with their favorite hens. Its not a peck, it's a stroke and when I've seen it it has had nothing to do with beak cleaning.

 

[Merci BeauCoop]

You may just be very lucky.
I've seen a very few adult rooster do something similar with their favorite hens. Its not a peck, it's a stroke and when I've seen it it has had nothing to do with beak cleaning.

Awww... they are really sweet little beings.

 

[Roo5]

Sounds like a beak cleaning,never heard of a chicken striking another, possibly preen one another.