Beak wiping - what does it mean?

[dixie chick]

Does any one know if beak wiping has any behavioural significance or is it simply in order to get surplus food off the beak?
I noticed my poor little bottom-of-the-pecking order Speckled Sussex wiping her beak on the roosting bars today and I wondered if she was trying to tell me something .....

[bennett]

mine beak wipe when they have been scratching around and got bits of mud ect on thier beak. Might be worth checking to see if she has and bubbles of fluid coming from her nostrils though especially if she is wiping it alot.

[Chucky Mama]

Mine do it when they eat something wet to get the mess off their beaks. They have impeckable table manners.

[Mollie333]

Ohhh what a pun

[Tutti Frutti]

:groan:

[Mr Rhode Island Red]

Chickens do that to get wet grass, excess food etc. off their beak. Perfectly normal

[johnandkymberley]

[bluekarin]

Mine do it too. In fact, I would say all birdies do it. We used to have a canary and she used to wipe her beak lots. Look out for wild birds in your garden and you'll suddenly notice a lot of similar characteristics

[dixie chick]

Thanks everyone for your most reassuring replies - I guess I am just a paranoid new chicken mummy! I have started mixing some of their growers pellets with warm water to make a mash - which they seem to prefer to the dry pellets - and they are all furiously beak wiping now!

[TheCoop]

All birds do it. Even sparrows and blue tits.

[Roobaloo]

Previously discussed *here*!

[FosPet]

My two jump up on my lap and wipe their dirty beaks on my trousers!

[Tiggy]

My two jump up on my lap and wipe their dirty beaks on my trousers!

not just my lot then