Can i get my chickens to enjoy being held?

[mrdruids]

I've had 3 of my hens for about a year 1 fayoumis and 2 bantam brahmas, and just got 2 new ones a few weeks ago 1 leghorn and 1 black star, they're all chickens

about getting close to people with exception of the black star, and i was wondering if they'd get used to being held if i nabbed em with my chicken net and held em for a few min a day. i really want to cuddle with my hens cause they're so darn cute

 

[Patricia Jane]

Treats help alot. Some are social and some aren't. I think it depends on the breed. I have 4. 2 Barred Rocks, 1 Columbian Wyandotte and 1 light brown leghorn. All but the leghorn are friendly. The leghorn freaks if I move too fast. I've given up trying to get close to her. The others love to be held. They sit on my lap.

 

[Chick1043]

Quote:
Same here!! I love it!

Just be VERY nice to them, feed them treats, try to hold them often so they can see it's not that bad!

 

[mrdruids]

thanks!, i do put out ramen noodles for them in a dish every now and then because thats their favorite treat, think i should hold the dish maybe so they have to get close?

 

[Chick1043]

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That's what I do! A couple days they just about killed me over a sandwich!!

 

[mrdruids]

lol i know, there's so much drama at treat time, that's when you can really see the pecking order in play

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

I've always started fairly early with my birds, but perhaps it would still work with older birds....

I start with feeding treats by hand... then I start holding the treats over my lap, so they have to actually jump on my lap to get the treat. It works most easily with the birds at the top of the pecking order, the lower birds tend to be more scared, and take longer to warm up. I'll work with them after the more dominant birds have been put away. Put your roosters away too, and work with them separately.

The net is probably not the best tool to use to "seduce" them. Just try to pick treats that are irresistible like meal worms. Reel them in with those, and don't expect them to jump in your lap the first day. It might take a couple weeks.

But the best things in life don't come easy, right??

 

[mrdruids]

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wow thanks! yea ill keep the net out of the mix, and no worries i dont have a rooster thanks for all the advice i will win them over!

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

I have complete confidence that you will!!

Enjoy those sweet girls...

 

[Saltysteele]

in addition to behavior modification via treats and special handling, some chickens are just friendlier than others. just every once in a while there will be one that thinks it's human or something. i had two chicks that at a week old would come to my hand in the brooder. i'd take those chicks out and find them worms and let them walk around in the grass, daily. neither chick got any more attention than the other. as they started getting older (4-5 weeks), all the chicks would come running to me, because they wanted to be fed and associated me as the feedman.

anyway, one of those first two chicks doesn't act any differently towards me than all the other chickens. the other is the most friendly, inquisitive chicken. if you talk to it, it talks back. he follows us around. he's absolutely fine with my 6yo daughter picking him up and dragging him wherever. she likes to take him out in the hayfield and race him back. she'll pick him up and start running to the end of the field, and he'll just hang in her arms, feet dangling and head bouncing.

they're all different. you could treat one like the queen of Sheba, and another who received no attention will be the one who loves you, wants to be held and hang out.