Bonding

[chicken347689]

Does anyone have good tips for bonding with chickens? (Also I'm not sure if this belongs in "Raising Baby Chicks" but I couldn't find anything else that fit in to my question).

 

[Rainwing]

i'm bonding with my cockerels before they get too aggressive. they like it when you come out to them with treats. try to feed them from your hand. afterwards try to pet them. two of my cockerels sit down and relax when i pet them, the other is still a bit standoffish. you can talk to them a lot too. just don't hold the chickens when you are stressed or try to scare them.

 

[chicken347689]

i'm bonding with my cockerels before they get too aggressive. they like it when you come out to them with treats. try to feed them from your hand. afterwards try to pet them. two of my cockerels sit down and relax when i pet them, the other is still a bit standoffish. you can talk to them a lot too. just don't hold the chickens when you are stressed or try to scare them.

When would they be comfortable with holding? The chickens I had before would peck me whenever I held them, even when they were calm.

 

[Rainwing]

When would they be comfortable with holding? The chickens I had before would peck me whenever I held them, even when they were calm.

probably any time after they are 5-6 days old. maybe even 3 days old, but my house was cold so they'd be peeping. i usually pick them up when they are walking calmly.. the coop isn't attached to the run, so i have to pick them up twice manually every day. if they are not bonded to me, they have to put up with getting picked up on a daily basis anyways. i have had some hens who have never bonded to me, but most do.

i don't recall chickens pecking at me when i pick them up. the worst that has happened is either really bad scratches on the arms or one of the chickens using their wings as a club. when that happens i just try again, holding them with one hand covering each wing securely.

 

[chicken347689]

probably any time after they are 5-6 days old. maybe even 3 days old, but my house was cold so they'd be peeping. i usually pick them up when they are walking calmly.. the coop isn't attached to the run, so i have to pick them up twice manually every day. if they are not bonded to me, they have to put up with getting picked up on a daily basis anyways. i have had some hens who have never bonded to me, but most do.

i don't recall chickens pecking at me when i pick them up. the worst that has happened is either really bad scratches on the arms or one of the chickens using their wings as a club. when that happens i just try again, holding them with one hand covering each wing securely.

Would you suggest maybe laying my hand in front of them while they're walking so they can step on it and then I can pick them up? Just as a starter so they get used to being picked up

 

[Rainwing]

Would you suggest maybe laying my hand in front of them while they're walking so they can step on it and then I can pick them up? Just as a starter so they get used to being picked up

sure, but i've trained parrots and chickens, and while parrots have an instinct to step on your finger or hand as if it is a branch, chickens seem to be more... oblivious. they may or may not step up. there aren't any rules to taming chickens. sometimes they will be frightened when you pick them up for the first time, then you place them on your lap and pet them and give them a crumb or two, then they are calm. then the next time you pick them up, they are less anxious about it. a lot of my chicks are looking to be pretty tame at 6 weeks, and as chicks i would pick them up at random to give them treats. some had major freak outs like my hen Goliath, but now she's pretty chill to be picked up.

exposing them to your hand a lot is a good idea though, even when you have no treats, because it gets them used to your presence.

 

[MJ22]

We feed them A LOT. Held them when the were chicks. We give them a lot of fruits and veggies. Whenever they hear the screen door open they run to us! They LOVE mealworms. Eat them right out of our hands. I think as long as you calm and interact with them, they will warm up to you. We have 2 that are still scared of us, but they will still eat from us. We can hold just about all of them. Depending on their mood

 

[TheChickenHole]

Feed them a lot and make them feel safe. (We have the same profile pic!)

 

[Lobo123]

First, they need to trust you. The chicks need to get used to seeing you all the time. Start by hanging out in their coop/brood. Eventually, they will approach you, peck your shoes, etc. At this point your heading towards the right direction. Offer your chicks treat with your hand, make it a regular occurrence, so they associate you with food. They soon will run towards you every time they see you!

I think its important to note chickens aren't dogs, from my experience, chickens never like getting picked up, at best they tolerate it. It's completely normal for them to resist being picked up, some may never be used it, others might warm up to it. It all depends on the personality of the chick.

 

[MJ22]

First, they need to trust you. The chicks need to get used to seeing you all the time. Start by hanging out in their coop/brood. Eventually, they will approach you, peck your shoes, etc. At this point your heading towards the right direction. Offer your chicks treat with your hand, make it a regular occurrence, so they associate you with food. They soon will run towards you every time they see you!

I think its important to note chickens aren't dogs, from my experience, chickens never like getting picked up, at best they tolerate it. It's completely normal for them to resist being picked up, some may never be used it, others might warm up to it. It all depends on the personality of the chick.

Agreed. They LET us pick them up.