Topic of the Week - Raising People Friendly Poultry

[Coturnix Quail]

Wait, can you feather sex a Cochin? If so, it looks like mine might be a roo and I would have to get rid of him.. I did have it sexed at the hatchery to be female, though..

 

[s k y]

Just gonna subscribe...

 

[Merrymouse]

As promised, some more pics of chick training!


BB giving lesson in good manners.


Children find safe spot among legs.


Safe nest outside of MHP


Happy buddy on the shoulder, this is Rhonda Lee, named after the weather girl in Seattle.

This is exactly what I do with my chicks. I have my sand chair right in the run and as soon as I sit down several of them jump in my lap, my shoulder and settle down for a cuddle. I don't touch them too much just let them settle. My baby chick that was near death always jumps up and tucks herself in the crook of my elbow and takes a nap. She is way behind in development and she is also the youngest but she has the least amount of feathers so I think she does this to warm up too. I think alot may have to do with the individual chickens too. If you spend time you get to know them really well. My barred rock pullet is always the first one to jump up, then my buff rock, silver penciled rock, cochin, cream legbar etc. My welsummer has never sat in my lap.

So I have a question. My chicks come scurrying out of the coop as soon as I open the pop door but when I want to put them back in they won't go. So I have been scooping them up and putting them in myself. Now I know this is freaking some of them out especially my welsummer she is fast and I have to corner her to get her back in. I feel like I'm ruining all my hard work to tame them by cornering them and putting them in the coop. I always handle them gently and talk to them and set them in the coop by just opening my hand and letting them walk off but still this is somewhat stressful for them. I tried one night just waiting until it was getting dark to see if they would go in on their own and they didn't. They huddled together in a corner until I put them in. I would just try this method again but its still pretty cold here and I don't want them to get chilled by being out too long. Any suggestions? BTW so happy I found this thread.

 

[Merrymouse]

Just gonna subscribe...

Jump on over to the Massachusetts thread and introduce yourself. Lots of great people and animal lovers over there and neighbors too.

ETA: Nevermind......I see you already did

 

[azygous]

So I have a question. My chicks come scurrying out of the coop as soon as I open the pop door but when I want to put them back in they won't go. So I have been scooping them up and putting them in myself. Now I know this is freaking some of them out especially my welsummer she is fast and I have to corner her to get her back in. I feel like I'm ruining all my hard work to tame them by cornering them and putting them in the coop. I always handle them gently and talk to them and set them in the coop by just opening my hand and letting them walk off but still this is somewhat stressful for them. I tried one night just waiting until it was getting dark to see if they would go in on their own and they didn't. They huddled together in a corner until I put them in. I would just try this method again but its still pretty cold here and I don't want them to get chilled by being out too long. Any suggestions? BTW so happy I found this thread.

You're right. Running them down and grabbing them is stressing both them and you. Is your coop full size where you can get inside? That would make it easier if you could get inside with a light to light the interior and coax them in with treats for the first two nights. They get imprinted with the treats associated with going in at night, pleasant associations help train animals, and by the third night, they should be going in on their own or with only minimal coaxing.

If you have one of those tiny doll house coops, get back to me and we'll think of something.

 

[Merrymouse]

You're right. Running them down and grabbing them is stressing both them and you. Is your coop full size where you can get inside? That would make it easier if you could get inside with a light to light the interior and coax them in with treats for the first two nights. They get imprinted with the treats associated with going in at night, pleasant associations help train animals, and by the third night, they should be going in on their own or with only minimal coaxing.

If you have one of those tiny doll house coops, get back to me and we'll think of something.

Well its not a tiny coop but not a walk in either. Its a wichita style, 8x4 coop with 8x14 run. I put meal worms up the ramp and they scurried up but didn't make the connection to go through the pop door. They were franticly looking for more meal worms outside and pushing some off the ramp to the ground in their hysteria over the meal worms....big fail. I don't want them to get hurt falling off the ramp. Maybe I could try my big red solo cup which they recognize holds the treats and shaking it on the inside of the pop door and see if they make the connection? Its only in the 40's here today and raining so I think I may just leave them inside the coop today. Im open to suggestions. Thanks

ETA: dont want to highjack post but this does have to do with keeping and/or making your chicks friendly correct?

 

[RodNTN]

- How best to raise chicks to keep them tame and comfortable around humans and what about broody raised chicks?
Handle your baby chicks! Give them treats (in moderation, of course.) When I receive my chicks, I handle them often, feed them treats; and by the time that they are a week old they are climbing all over me!

Literally. And like some other members have said, don't reach from above, this will freak your little babies out! I put my hand on the bottom of the brooder, usually with chick feed in it, and they are scratching and pecking all over my hand, then I pick them up (carefully)

- How do you tame an adult bird?
For me, it is very simple. I bought 3 pullets from an auction last year and one of them was so skittish and flighty, you couldn't even step towards her without her squawking and taking off in flight. I spent a lot time with her, just quietly sitting near her, giving her treats. And occasionally she would be brave enough to come up and eat it out of my hand. But even then, she wouldn't stay near me for more than 5 seconds. With some time and diligence, she eventually warmed up to me, and now she is one of my friendliest girls, she loves to be held. And she also loves to be pet.

- What about cockbirds? How do you establish the human vs cockbird "pecking order"?
Do not be violent with him, this will only make him angrier and more aggressive. I ignore them, and he eventually forgets about being aggressive with me, and learns his place in the pecking order.

 

[Coturnix Quail]

Help me guys!! My Barred Rock Bantam keeps getting 'pasty butt'! I keep wiping it off, everyday. Today, however, I wasn't here for most of the day and when I came back it had quite a lot clumped up. I cleaned it up, but I noticed something that scares/worries me to death. It has this little red thing inside its butt. It pooped, once, and the thing didn't come out! Is this normal?! I really want my Barred Rock to live!! Help please!!

 

[alexa009]

Help me guys!! My Barred Rock Bantam keeps getting 'pasty butt'! I keep wiping it off, everyday. Today, however, I wasn't here for most of the day and when I came back it had quite a lot clumped up. I cleaned it up, but I noticed something that scares/worries me to death. It has this little red thing inside its butt. It pooped, once, and the thing didn't come out! Is this normal?! I really want my Barred Rock to live!! Help please!!

I had this problem with my red sex link just wet a paper towel and wipe where her poop is. My red sex link had the same problem for a long time. Every time I did it she started pooping. She liked when I would do it. Do this like 3 times a day or so. It should help.

 

[Coturnix Quail]

So, the red thing is OKAY? And how long will it take to fully clear up? She clearly HATES it when I do clean it off.Thanks for the quick response!! This is so urgent!