Book on Chickens. Ideas?

[LoveClockwise]

Hi BYC!
I am wanting to write a book on calming anxious chickens, helping chickens with stress, and socializing chickens to people. Basically therapy for chickens. I would love to hear from you guys some ideas you might have! ( obviously I could look this up on google or something, but I trust community feedback a bit more) Please feel free to share what has helped you calm/socialize your chickens and any other things you think I should add!

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

I love this idea so much!! My chickens love music, especially 90s rock and classical. If I hold them and gently rock them they'll also fall asleep (especially if you give them scratches on the head).

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

I'll have to buy it when you get it published!

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

@Debbie292d @Noraaaaa @Barnette any thoughts?

 

[LoveClockwise]

Great ideas! @Chicken_Obsesser

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

Thank you!!

 

[Tom Holden]

Hi BYC!
I am wanting to write a book on calming anxious chickens, helping chickens with stress, and socializing chickens to people. Basically therapy for chickens. I would love to hear from you guys some ideas you might have! ( obviously I could look this up on google or something, but I trust community feedback a bit more) Please feel free to share what has helped you calm/socialize your chickens and any other things you think I should add!

I've found that sitting quietly near my flock with some treats for about 15 minutes daily works wonders for socializing skittish birds. Playing soft classical music in the coop actually seems to chill them out when they're stressed - Mozart for Chickens is totally a thing at my place! For anxious chickens, I've had great success with adding lavender and chamomile plants around their run area, plus they love pecking at these herbs. When introducing new chickens, I always use the "see but can't touch" method for a few days with a wire divider which dramatically reduces fighting and stress.

 

[Debbie292d]

@Debbie292d @Noraaaaa @Barnette any thoughts?

I sing before coming up to the brooders so I don't scare them.

For older chickens, most of the 35 or so of them I can walk up to and pick them up. It's several things, like talking to them by name when around them, or I sit on the deck with a bowl of scrambled eggs and soon have them all around me eating from my hand. Ones that have needed their eyes trimmed get really tame as they like that after the first time. Sometimes I just pick one up, pet and talk to it for a few minutes, and set it down to go on its way.

Once in a while, a chick will stand out from the rest. That one is CC, who is now a grown salt and pepper frizzle rooster that looks like a dust rag. When young, we called it Chelsea Chicken because we thought it was a girl and acted like the welcome wagon lady around here always visiting each separate flock, and us, then going about his way. A year later, if I step outside and call "CC," he comes running. He doesn't breed or fight. He just free ranges alone, waits for one of us to come outside, and follows us around.

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

CC is so cute!

 

[Bawkbok]

That's a fantastic looking chicken. I just want to run my hands through those feathers - looks like soft hair.