Question

[jake&kiwi'smom]

What does it mean when they do a chicken scratch .. she is taking her foot and scratching it on the news paper on bottom of cage..

 

[JLcribber]

Digging a hole and cleaning out the nest.

 

[Arno]

Can mean a few things but "chicken scratching" is normal behaviour for greys.

What Google says
Chicken Scratching: African Grey Parrots will "chicken scratch" at the bottom of their cage or on the carpet. This is a normal behavior for them as in the wild, they do this to loosen dirt and mud.

1. he wants to get out of the cage,
2. he is hungry so trying to forage,
3. Wants attention or its just normal behaviour.

My african grey does this even when he has been out of his cage for hours playing with me on the couch. He will be playing with a toy and the next moment just bite on the couch and start scratching like a crazy chicken

 

[jake&kiwi'smom]

She was put of cage for along time. Thus is something she just started

 

[Mizzely]

Usually nesting or foraging related

 

[jake&kiwi'smom]

That's what I was thinking too just wanted to make sure

 

[BertAllen]

Tinker does it on a regular basis with the paper on the bottom of the cage. He is only 9 months old.