Am I the only weirdo here that doesn't like to touch or hold the

[Pokster]

I kiss all my animals and all the farm animals i watch. Sorry, but not so gross to me.

 

[Beekissed]

When they were chicks I placed them under a broody or some were hatched under a broody and they got their chicken nurturing in that way. I'm with the previous poster who stated she respected their space and dislike for handling. When they were on the roosts and I had to work with them, I'd do it as quickly and calmly as possible and then replace them to the roosts...and I might sneak in a soft pet along their backs afterwards. Yes, I think they are soft, beautiful and smell lovely...I'm not completely hardened to that fact. But....

I wonder how we would like it if a giant constantly grabbed us from our simple lives and forced their attentions upon us, much to our dismay? I always wanted my chickens to have as natural a life as they possibly could have on one acre of captivity, so handling and petting them wasn't high on the agenda.

I know that wild birds aren't supposed to be handled with the bare hand as it upsets the balance of oils on their feathers and can affect their flight or waterproofing during wet weather. Though my birds were domestic, they still were outside in all weathers, so this practice made sense to me.

I know it seems like one is compassionate and affectionate with their animals if they are constantly petting or coddling them but there is another group of folks who feel that chickens would come to us naturally, sort of like a dog, if they required this level of handling from us. If this was a natural part of their instinctive behavior, then I would provide for their nurturing needs. Until then I respect their space, their sheer chickeness and their right to not be handled unless they indicate they wish that level of intimacy.

 

[kemclaughlin]

I want mine to be unafraid of me, but I don't necessarily want to hold them. I am with you on that. It's not even because they step in poop. I don't care so much about that. I just feel like it's not "natural" which I know sounds and is totally ridiculous. LOL, I have scared the heck out of all of us a few times opening my back door fast. They will wait outside the door for me and when the door opens it scares them and they flutter away and that startles me.

 

[harveyhorses]

Quote:
Well mine follow this 'giant' around, come runnig to me when I come out of the house, help me however they can with the garden, (that looks like a bad one there!) and will fly up to sit on my lap, or sit right next to me on the steps. Maybe it was the way they were raised, if I thought they did not want to be handled, I'd be o.k. with it, but mine DO like it, especailly a little sort of floofing under the wings, they pretty well fall asleep. If you do not feel the need to 'coddle' yours, that is fine, just remember some hens realy do like it. So yes mine indicate that level of intamacy.

 

[Pokster]

Umm, I don't believe I said ANYTHING about grabbing my birds or upsetting my birds in any way shape or form.

I sit on the floor of my hen house which is huge built it half in the garage and half out I'm not finished yet. Most of my birds come to me, the ones that don't come to me don't. My birds are very happy healthy little creatures. I just happen to spend a great deal of time with them.

 

[Blue]

Quote:
lol! Some of the chicks I have now are like that. They'll just fall asleep sitting on my lap while I rub them.

Some of the chicks will come flying at their pen door when they see me coming now and try to fly up on me as soon as I go in there with them. I've been feeding them yogurt mixed with their feed for over a week now due to a Cocci treatment I was giving them, and they got really friendly (well, except for the Brabanters) after I started bringing that little bowl of yogurty treatness, and now they act like I'm the best thing since sliced bread when I go out to see them, even if I don't have a treat. I guess the way to a chicken's heart truly is through its stomach.

 

[4acresNachick]

I like to hold the younger ones until they go out into the coop I have found in the short time I've been raising my chickens that they seem to like me more when I let them come to me. One of mine likes to stand right next to my chair on my front porch. Sometimes she's so close I can feel her foot on one of mine. So cute but I don't try to make them do anything. At first I would try and touch them and pick them up but it just seemed to make them keep their distance. Now they come to me. I think that is rewarding in itself.

 

[pottymouthspoultry]

I really enjoy spending time in the coop & run with my chickens... And in the barn with horses... there's something about spending time with non-humans that is calming... And yes, I like to hold the chickens, pet and talk to them, and hang out with them... I think of them not as pets, but as my buddies... The horses too.

 

[Darklingstorm]

I like to hold the chicks when they are young so they don't get all freaked when I have to pick them up when they are bigger, but I don't see my chickens as pets. All animals here have to earn their keep. The dogs keep out predators, the cat kills the mice and the chickens & ducks feed us. If they don't do their intended jobs, they are replaced. Might seem cold to some but it's just the way I was raised.

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

I don't think I could go a day without touching them.