Chicken Pets/or Not

[Ol Grey Mare]

I will offer the same advice as Two Crows. Sit down on the ground, on a comfy cushion if the ground is too hard and dirty for your taste, and let the chickens come to you at will to take treats from your hands.

Type of breed matters, though. While my Orpington, EE, Cochin, Brahma and two of my Welsummers are hug hogs, my other chickens are stand-offish, especially my Wyandottes, who loathe to be touched by my hands, although they will perch on my legs.

It's never too late to start establishing trust and closeness if that's what you want. Be patient. It takes time.

Even sitting in a chair in the run, quietly with your coffee will get them curious. Don't swoop them up, just sit there quietly, move slowly when you do move, and eventually, they will perch.

Mrs K

Agreed with both the above......besides, there is no such thing as a bad time spent sitting quietly with your flock.

 

[bluecreekhen]

Right! I had a New Hampshire Red peck me in the lens when I was was taking a close-up of her with the cell phone.

 

[bluecreekhen]

I will take my coffee and their treats and commune.

 

[waddles99]

The bond established between a chicken and an owner when the chicken is still in the brooder. The chicken owners you are referring to handle their chickens from day one. As other people have been saying you just have to handle and hold them a lot. I know someone who just sits in a chair in the middle of their run and hands out treats so their chickens all want to hop up on her. I also think it depends on the breed. If you have a nicer breed they will be more likely to want to sit with you. If it is a really skittish, flighty bird, or an aggressive bird, good luck getting it to sit without having to hold it down. I don't hold my birds ever really, only to do any medical related procedures. I don't really need or want my birds to be friendly because i don't really think of them as pets. More of a purpose animal. I use mine for show and eggs. I've heard Buff Orps and Wyandottes to be friendly breeds.

 

[centrarchid]

I train and tame. Key treat tool for me involves live insects. Most practical is typically meal worms. The sitting with birds helps greatly. Once birds figure out the availability of the meal worms you can entice them to you and ultimately to stand or fly up on to you will called. Younger birds easier starting point although even adults can be worked with.