Bad ol' Chickens!!!

[PoultryPedia]

Whoops! I went back to original post & edited to add them. Forgot the first time.

 

[Cockadoodledon't]

Thanks, enjoyed reading it.

 

[Sjisty]

I have mostly Brahmas. They are very friendly. One always jumps in my lap when I am sitting outside (or several if I have treats). I also have a Jersey Giant who is a lap chicken. My RIRs tolerate petting but are not lap birds.

 

[omelette'smom]

My 2 red sexlinks are the most outgoing. They follow you and stare through my slider waiting for treats but still not fond of being held. My brabanter used to literally be my toddler and not leave my feet. I would hold her and put her down and she'd want me to pick her up again...not anymore! My bantums don't mind at all being picked up. everyone else hates humans who don't have food! My Rooster is my favorite! He is a cuddle bug! Le Fleche are supposed to be skittish but he isn't!

 

[flakey chick]

They like touching best on their terms. They are more cuddly around roost time. This is when they naturally snuggle up against each other.

If food is around, they'll press right up against me. I have been feeding mine treats from my lap. The BR will sit in my lap a while afterwards and let me pet her. She seems to like when I stroke her crop. This was especially true when I was treatting her for sour crop.

 

[loralei]

Thanks guys! Great reading while enjoying my morning coffee!

After catching one, hold and stroke it a while until it calms down. To release the chicken, slowly lower it toward the ground while holding its wings against the side of its body. If the chicken starts to struggle, immediately lift it away from the ground. Then try moving toward the ground again. As soon as it wriggles again, lift upwards again. Once it stays calm all the way to the ground, hold it there just a couple seconds, maybe give it a stroke, and let it go. Chickens learn that stressing out and trying to wrench away isn’t rewarding. Most learn very soon to be calm and relaxed while being handled.

Thanks SpeckledHills! That is exactly what I do and it seems to be working. But last evening, like every other evening, I went out with 2 crusts of bread for the gals and about half of them come running, as usual. They jump up and try to steel the bread out of my hands usually biting the heck out of my fingers. I squat down thinking if I am shorter I will be less intimidating in an attempt to get the others to come over and that's when it happened! I got spurred by one of my Golden Wyandotte hens! She spurred me! I don't even eat meat but she's fixin' to be chicken n' dumplins'!

Rudy, my roo, also a GW, is also mean but he's kinda supposed to be that way, right? We face off daily! He will scratch at the ground and charge me repeatedly. I reach down and grab him and he squeals like a girl and takes off to the pen. It's kind of a game now.

What ever happened to the thing about not biting the hand that feeds you? Soem manners? A little decorum? No matter. I still love em' and will love Rudy and that darned GW hen with dumplins even more I think! lol!​

 

[CKMom]

I agree it has to be on their terms.
My cochin is the friendliest, and I can hold her anytime.
The EE rooster will eat out of my hand, has sat on my lap occasionally, but only when I have treats. he takes them as gently as a puppy, and has never pecked hard like the others. He would prefer I not touch him, and we have an understanding...
The BO are friendly, pettable, and will also sit with me for a time, even without food present.
The Dominiques only like me for my food, but twice have flown up on my shoulder and sat.
The EE pullets are somewhat skittish, but 2 of them will sit with me, and Muffy( has the biggest cheeks, and gotee)actually enjoys being held and will settle down for quite some time, until someone decides to make her move. I find it fascinating, that I'm willing to spend my little free time, sitting with the chickens, trying to figure them all out, and really loving it!

 

[KnitswithChickens]

I have a Silver Laced Wyandotte and she is skittish and unfriendly - she was even like that as a chick, despite that, I would still pick her up every day to try to make her like me

. Now she's almost five months old and can run faster than me, so I don't even try.

My BO is a sweetheart - she comes when I call her and loves to be picked up and petted.

My Red Sex-Link is the same way - comes when called and loves to be held. She'll jump on my lap if I'm sitting on the bench reading

I guess chickens are like people - we're all different and some of us are just plain grumpy! Except ME

 

[loralei]

Well CKMom if one flies up to my shoulder its usually to poop! lol

I heard that was good luck though.

Yep! I should have lots of good luck!

 

[Rebel Rooster]

Quote:
I don't like "Good Luck" rituals that include POOP!!