Chicken finds it annoying when i try to pick her up!!

rah

In the Brooder
Aug 21, 2024
8
22
21
So uhmm, i need help with my pet chicken. she's pretty young though, (almost 5 months old now) Probably the reason but i wanna confirm!! everytime i go near her, she runs away a meter or so, and when i get close and almost get to pick her up, she tries to escape and makes sound. HOWEVER, if i manage to pick her up and lift her up, in all of a sudden, she mostly shuts and stays calm. Her breed is an Auracana mixed with a normal chicken. but anyways, how do i solve this????
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Chickens are prey animals.
Humans are predators.
The vast majority of chickens do not like being handled by predators.
There are some rare occasions where a chicken will bond with a human and seek out being handled by them. But as I wrote, it's rare.
I prefer not to stress my chickens out by attempting to handle them. I let them feed from my hands and they do that quite willingly. If it is necessary to handle them, I wait until well after dark and retrieve them from the roost.
 
What @DobieLover said. We have dogs and cats for picking up and petting. It's a rare bird that will enjoy being picked up and petted, although there are some. But many people here will tell you that once you break those natural barriers, you're setting that bird up to be a victim of a predator. That's why so many people will tell you it's always the favorite that goes first. They lose their protective fear. Respect their fear, it helps to keep them alive.
 
Just spend time and offer treats, repeat her name and give her treats, one of my hens (snooze) with come when I say "Snooze come here" and will sit in my lap, come peck on my back, climb into my lap or arms and talk to me. It just takes patience!

Wanted to add: Just because a hen is friendly does not mean there going to try and make friends with a halk or fox. Snooze is very alert and always yells and pecks hard if something is comming for her. Same goes with my other hens.
 
Mine hate being picked up. But if I sit quietly with them they gather around me and a couple will come up onto the arm of my chair. Maybe even my knee. And if they believe I have sunflower seeds inside my jacket then a couple will crawl across my body to try and get in under my jacket.
I try not to scare them by forcing them to be picked up. But they seem to like me and often just hang out and chat to me.
 

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