Chick Promixity

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

I have several "generations" of birds. Some I raised since chicks. Some have been raised by broodies. I figured the ones I raised would be friendlier, but it's not always the case.

My first 4 (the OGs) ate very friendly. I spent TONS of time with them. But only 1 is a lap chicken: my BPR, Zinnia. My Brahma, Aster, is my little (or big) shadow.

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My Silkies, from a later "generation," were also raised by me. They used to be lap chickens, but have since decided it's more fun to act like real chickens.
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One of those Silkies raised 3 feed store chicks. I figured they'd be less friendly. But they're just as friendly as my OGs. I never handled them as babies at all, but they are ALWAYS near me and come running whenever they see me.

My current batch of broody-raised babies want nothing to do with me, but the EEs I got as older chicks are approachable and let me pick them up with zero fuss.

Bottom line: I have NO IDEA how to make them friendlier. Being near them a lot couldn't hurt. Maybe sit with them in an area where they can run around and climb on you?

Your bird are simply gorg!!!! Can't wait to see how mine fill out when they grow up. Feather beginnings are REAL noticeable this day.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Oh - almost forgot. A silver lining of bringing my Polish back from the brink is that she imprinted on me and loves me SOOOO much. But we are talking 24/7, slept with me, went with me to work care. Not normal or expected.

 

[FunClucks]

I think it depends on how you define friendly. To me, friendly means I can walk into the covered run and approach, pick up, or touch the chicken I'm interested in for a few minutes without it running away. The chicken will tolerate me picking her/him up and inspecting legs, wings, vent, and body for any vet issues without much fuss. IF they're interested in food or nesting on my head (they think about this a lot right around nightly perching time), they'll get up on the isolation cage so they're at my waist level, and I'll pet them then. Or if I'm obviously carrying food, I'm very interesting.

I talk calmly, move my hands super, super slowly, and hand feed things like tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelon, mealworms (favorites) at ground level. This helped them decide I was okay. I brooded in a 100 gal tub with a hardware mesh lid, and I used to sit on a stool next to the brooder and talk/croon to them continually while performing chicken care tasks at least twice a day. I spent up to an hour each night cracking the brooder lid, each chicken would fly up to the edge, and I'd hold each one and pet it individually. I found they didn't like things covering their wings, but petting was okay. When young, they liked to be covered with my warm hand, once they calmed down, and I could often get them to sleep. If they startled at seeing me, I'd sit there and talk calmly until they calmed down, then do my brooder activities.

Finding a good association for them with me was key - warmth (good nesting spot), food (handfeeding), or a fun perch (human arms and hands make fun warm perches and are much more interesting than the inside of the brooder). When I had to doctor them (pasty butt wiping, pecking injury coverup lotion application), it would take them a bit to re-decide I was okay, since they didn't like me doing those things.

To pick them up as chicks, I did something similar to the technique I saw my friend do with her parrot in order to lift them into my hand - put my hand out flat between their legs while they were standing on something. Gently lifted directly up, so their breast was resting in my hand. This would cue them to flap their wings and regain their footing, and when they were done they were standing in my hand. The key was keeping your hand still while they were flapping about to settle themselves. Then I could transfer them to the edge of my hand, my arm, etc. while I petted them or inspected them. They would perch calmly until I put them down, or until they were done.

For full size chickens, I found two hands were often necessary to pick them up because they were so heavy and large, then I could hold them against me while placing my arm under their feet if I wanted to. They would perch on my arm for a bit then leave. I would like to be of more interest to my chickens, but food ranks higher than me every time.

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

I think it depends on how you define friendly. To me, friendly means I can walk into the covered run and approach, pick up, or touch the chicken I'm interested in for a few minutes without it running away. The chicken will tolerate me picking her/him up and inspecting legs, wings, vent, and body for any vet issues without much fuss. IF they're interested in food or nesting on my head (they think about this a lot right around nightly perching time), they'll get up on the isolation cage so they're at my waist level, and I'll pet them then. Or if I'm obviously carrying food, I'm very interesting.

I talk calmly, move my hands super, super slowly, and hand feed things like tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelon, mealworms (favorites) at ground level. This helped them decide I was okay. I brooded in a 100 gal tub with a hardware mesh lid, and I used to sit on a stool next to the brooder and talk/croon to them continually while performing chicken care tasks at least twice a day. I spent up to an hour each night cracking the brooder lid, each chicken would fly up to the edge, and I'd hold each one and pet it individually. I found they didn't like things covering their wings, but petting was okay. When young, they liked to be covered with my warm hand, once they calmed down, and I could often get them to sleep. If they startled at seeing me, I'd sit there and talk calmly until they calmed down, then do my brooder activities.

Finding a good association for them with me was key - warmth (good nesting spot), food (handfeeding), or a fun perch (human arms and hands make fun warm perches and are much more interesting than the inside of the brooder). When I had to doctor them (pasty butt wiping, pecking injury coverup lotion application), it would take them a bit to re-decide I was okay, since they didn't like me doing those things.

To pick them up as chicks, I did something similar to the technique I saw my friend do with her parrot in order to lift them into my hand - put my hand out flat between their legs while they were standing on something. Gently lifted directly up, so their breast was resting in my hand. This would cue them to flap their wings and regain their footing, and when they were done they were standing in my hand. The key was keeping your hand still while they were flapping about to settle themselves. Then I could transfer them to the edge of my hand, my arm, etc. while I petted them or inspected them. They would perch calmly until I put them down, or until they were done.

For full size chickens, I found two hands were often necessary to pick them up because they were so heavy and large, then I could hold them against me while placing my arm under their feet if I wanted to. They would perch on my arm for a bit then leave. I would like to be of more interest to my chickens, but food ranks higher than me every time.

Your paragraph no. 1 is more of what I was thinking. But the rest of your story surely is interesting. I am very happy for you about that arrangement with them. No. 1 would be good for me.

 

[FunClucks]

Your paragraph no. 1 is more of what I was thinking. But the rest of your story surely is interesting. I am very happy for you about that arrangement with them. No. 1 would be good for me.

I think I got lost in what I was trying to say. It's been a long day. Paragraphs 2 & 3 are how I managed to get paragraph 1. And then I thought it would be cool to tell you how I pick them up because I sold a few the other day and the person who bought them was surprised we did that. He went to try and catch them in the brooder, and I was like, hang on, just wait a minute, you're making this harder than it needs to be. They'll fly right out and perch on the edge on their own, and then you pick them up. No chasing or fear required.

Best of luck to you on figuring things out for your own chickens!

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

I think I got lost in what I was trying to say. It's been a long day. Paragraphs 2 & 3 are how I managed to get paragraph 1. And then I thought it would be cool to tell you how I pick them up because I sold a few the other day and the person who bought them was surprised we did that. He went to try and catch them in the brooder, and I was like, hang on, just wait a minute, you're making this harder than it needs to be. They'll fly right out and perch on the edge on their own, and then you pick them up. No chasing or fear required.

Best of luck to you on figuring things out for your own chickens!

THIS is what made sense to me as far as "friendliness" and my hope for the future with my girls:

friendly means I can walk into the covered run and approach, pick up, or touch the chicken I'm interested in for a few minutes without it running away. The chicken will tolerate me picking her/him up and inspecting legs, wings, vent, and body for any vet issues without much fuss. IF they're interested in food or nesting on my head (they think about this a lot right around nightly perching time)