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Too late to get my chicks to let me hold them?

post #1 of 10
4/13/12 at 10:06am
Thread Starter 

Hi,

I have 5 Australorps that are 3 weeks old and 5 Buffs that are 2 weeks old. We put them together on a few days ago and they are doing great. My question is I didn't pick them up a lot when they were tiny. Can I get them to come to me and let me hold them and pet them? Or is it too late for that? I really want pet chickens. I just didn't realize I needed to play with them so young.

 

Thanks for the help!

Mary Louise

5 Australorps, 5 Buff Orpingtons, 3.5 cats (we have "adopted" a stray from the neighborhood)

 

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5 Australorps, 5 Buff Orpingtons, 3.5 cats (we have "adopted" a stray from the neighborhood)

 

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post #2 of 10
4/13/12 at 10:10am

I bought some chicks that were 4-5 weeks old. They have come around. It can be done. Just spend time with them, give them treats. The more you are around them the more they'll learn to trust you. Good luck!

Husband - Eric, 4 Daughters - Shamera, Piper, Jocelyn & Tilly, 3 Dogs - Hank, Zangar & Penny, Cat - Junior (Mentally Handicapped) and 3 Chicks- Nugget, Mumble & Cinnamon.

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Husband - Eric, 4 Daughters - Shamera, Piper, Jocelyn & Tilly, 3 Dogs - Hank, Zangar & Penny, Cat - Junior (Mentally Handicapped) and 3 Chicks- Nugget, Mumble & Cinnamon.

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post #3 of 10
4/13/12 at 10:14am

That will change. Mine started to really like my wife and I at about 3 weeks old. Buff Orps and Australorps. We gave them some meal worms(Chicken Crack) and they went NUTS. After they realize that those giants bring tasty morsels from time to time they will be all over you. They perch all over my wife, and they darn near run me over when I enter the run. Sit down in the run with them and treat them to some mealies, they will love you.

7 Australorps, 6 Buff Orpingtons, 1 production red, 1 young bared rock roo, 1 pair of Old English Game Bantams, 4 bantam hens, 4 Freakin' cats,  (RIP Cookie) best dog ever, 1 dog sky(smartsmartsmart), and a variety of new chicks.

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7 Australorps, 6 Buff Orpingtons, 1 production red, 1 young bared rock roo, 1 pair of Old English Game Bantams, 4 bantam hens, 4 Freakin' cats,  (RIP Cookie) best dog ever, 1 dog sky(smartsmartsmart), and a variety of new chicks.

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post #4 of 10
4/14/12 at 9:31am
Thread Starter 

Thanks so much for the input. I put in a couple of tiny worms yesterday and they loved them of course. I'll look around for meal worms. My local feed store doesn't have them but I'm sure I can find them online.

 

5 Australorps, 5 Buff Orpingtons, 3.5 cats (we have "adopted" a stray from the neighborhood)

 

Reply

5 Australorps, 5 Buff Orpingtons, 3.5 cats (we have "adopted" a stray from the neighborhood)

 

Reply
post #5 of 10
4/14/12 at 9:44am

you can also get mealworms at the pet store

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post #6 of 10
4/14/12 at 10:51am

My local Tractor Supply has them too

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post #7 of 10
4/14/12 at 11:19am

Never too late...........I have bought many birds as pullets or even egg laying adults, and all have got tame enough to let me hold them in the end.

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post #8 of 10
4/14/12 at 4:29pm

My birds go crazy over the dried meal worms. The cheapest I found them was at Wallmart in the wild bird feed section. They sell them to feed and attract bluebirds.

7 Australorps, 6 Buff Orpingtons, 1 production red, 1 young bared rock roo, 1 pair of Old English Game Bantams, 4 bantam hens, 4 Freakin' cats,  (RIP Cookie) best dog ever, 1 dog sky(smartsmartsmart), and a variety of new chicks.

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7 Australorps, 6 Buff Orpingtons, 1 production red, 1 young bared rock roo, 1 pair of Old English Game Bantams, 4 bantam hens, 4 Freakin' cats,  (RIP Cookie) best dog ever, 1 dog sky(smartsmartsmart), and a variety of new chicks.

Reply
post #9 of 10
4/14/12 at 5:56pm
If you have Lowe's Home Improvement stores, they have the mealworms in their bird feeder section. My two week old chicks - who ran from me a couple days ago - jump into my hand to see if I have any! The adult roos coo, and the hens swarm for them, also. I may have to start a meal worm farm!
http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/
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http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/
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post #10 of 10
4/15/12 at 6:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by BusyBlonde View Post

If you have Lowe's Home Improvement stores, they have the mealworms in their bird feeder section. My two week old chicks - who ran from me a couple days ago - jump into my hand to see if I have any! The adult roos coo, and the hens swarm for them, also. I may have to start a meal worm farm!



I am going to start a meal worm farm. I saw were I can get lit 2 or 3 thousand of them for 27 bucks.

 

7 Australorps, 6 Buff Orpingtons, 1 production red, 1 young bared rock roo, 1 pair of Old English Game Bantams, 4 bantam hens, 4 Freakin' cats,  (RIP Cookie) best dog ever, 1 dog sky(smartsmartsmart), and a variety of new chicks.

Reply

7 Australorps, 6 Buff Orpingtons, 1 production red, 1 young bared rock roo, 1 pair of Old English Game Bantams, 4 bantam hens, 4 Freakin' cats,  (RIP Cookie) best dog ever, 1 dog sky(smartsmartsmart), and a variety of new chicks.

Reply
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