Can i get my chickens to enjoy being held?

[mrdruids]

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very interesting ill look em up on this index thingy, i dont have much hope for the leghorn because i read you have to give them alot of attention when theyre chicks to get em used to you, i'd love it if my nieces and nephews could pet and hold them, thanks for the help

 

[JulieNKC]

I doubt your leghorn will like being held, I've had mine since a chick and consider myself lucky if she comes up and eats out of my hand. My new barred leghorn is more sociable, but still not the touchy feely type. Treats work wonders, even the hens I've got as adults come running and cluster around. If you sit on their level instead of standing they will probably be less afraid and come closer too. Good luck, and

 

[bertman]

Our birds are only about 16 weeks old now and even though they love to come up to us, and even right next to us, when we are dishing out the treats, they usually squawk and run if we try to touch them.

Some of the experienced chicken raisers here mentioned that you can touch them when they are on the roost when it's dark because they can't see and they won't move. So, now that our girls are roosting, I have been doing the chest feather caress and the back feather ruffle on a couple of the ones that roost on the end of the roost. That started two days ago. Today, both of the ones I was stroking on the roost have come to us when we're giving treats and one actually stood and let me do a little chest feather stroking today. I guess she liked it when she was on the roost and decided to give it another chance.

I'm trying to let them come to me and let me pet them. My wife wants to grab them and just hold them and stroke them so they'll get used to it. I don't know which method is better. Maybe someone else can help.

The two friendliest ones are Ameraucanas. The one pullet that was initially the friendliest and started flying up onto the back of my lounge chair (while I'm in it) is a Brown Leghorn. Go figure.

 

[mrdruids]

thats a good idea! i thought that catching em and holding em till they got used to it would be the way to go, but SunnyCalifornia brought to my attention that it might not be the best way to go... makes sense you catch more flies with honey

ive got a few to eat noodles from my hand and that seems like a good step, but im also gonna try your approach when theyre perching and see what kind of petting floats their little boats

thanks!

 

[burbankchix]

I've been handling our 16 since the day we got them, and they are now just 7 1/2 weeks old. I can go in the run and they jump on me with no treats, I guess I'm a big perch! We made sure when we got our chicks that we checked for "friendly" birds in their bio's. It seems to have worked....we go out at night and they are very docile and we can pet and pick them up at will. Hope you have good luck with yours, they are just a sheer delight for us!

 

[MassivelyScrambled]

Treats help a lot... but one other piece of advice...bend or kneel down closer to their level and make eye contact while you feed them. When they stare at you...Stare Back... calmly, serenly....this does make a difference. All five of our birds are friendly, with some breeds it will probably be tough. We have EEs, Americuana, and Frizzle Cochin. My black Americana Stands in my lap and eats!

She's even stood on my shoulder several times and my head once!!

 

[gordonburrito]

Each of our chickens have unique personalities. Four of our six hens will readily let me pick them up. The other two are easy to handle once you grab them but they resist being caught. They all like being around me though and sometimes they will surprise you. I was petting my Barred Rock Shana who thinks she is the number one special hen when our standoffish black sex link Foxy got this "jealous" look in her eyes. Next thing I know she's bumping the barred rock out of the way only to practically jump into my hands. Then she got this look in her eyes like ...."What have I done!!!". Also, two days ago I was cooping my hens early so we could go the the local fair. The last chicken out was our blue/gold Easter Egger Jasmine. She is smart and very hard to catch. She's happy to follow me around by my side all day but she will not let me grab her. Well I cornered her and grabbed her and just as I'm picking her up she goes into a mid air squat.... I was like, "you NEVER squat for me". She's just a nervous napkin.

 

[mrdruids]

i cant wait to have a more touchy relationship with them, getting pooped on will be a small price to pay

 

[MassivelyScrambled]

LOL for what it's worth... none of my hens (including Elle the black one in the picture) has ever pooped on me while being held or being in my lap/shoulder etc...

 

[nurseshelly]

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

That's how mine are ... every time I come to the gate, they think it's treat time and they come running and jumping at me! Then when I go water the plants they all line up along the fence waiting for weeds or grape leaves. Little beggars!!!