Chicks stressed about being held

[Minchi]

I am getting concerned , I try to hold them a few times a day and sometimes I give them worms to make it more fun for them but they fight every time. Menchi is the worst, I forgot the worms one day and she got a bit of a tour of the house now she is more skittish then ever. What should I do? I really don't want that time to be bad for them. They are only a week old. Menchi is maybe 2.

 

[GoldDogsMom]

I have found that my chicks are skittish until about 4 weeks old, I give them worm sbefore that and they will eat them out of my hand but don't want picked up. I have some almost 6 wks old and the 1 I think is a rooster will let me hold him without a single squawk!

 

[chicmom]

Well, I always talk to the chicks when I'm feeding and watering, and I do sit in the room with the brooder and just watch them playing. Often times, I will put my hand down into the brooder with food in it, holding very still, while they eat from my hand. They even walk on my hand. They seem to like that.

Chicks can be very shy, but if you visit with them alot and talk to them, they will get used to you. Hand feeding really helps. The more you're around them and socialize with them, the friendlier they will get.

Maybe you just need to spend a bit more time with them.......And some breeds are more friendly than others too, so that can be the issue as well. Just keep trying and it'll be fine,

Sharon

 

[Minchi]

Menchi is so skittish that she won't eat out of my hand anymore.

 

[GoldDogsMom]

Well, I always talk to the chicks when I'm feeding and watering, and I do sit in the room with the brooder and just watch them playing. Often times, I will put my hand down into the brooder with food in it, holding very still, while they eat from my hand. They even walk on my hand. They seem to like that.

Chicks can be very shy, but if you visit with them alot and talk to them, they will get used to you. Hand feeding really helps. The more you're around them and socialize with them, the friendlier they will get.

Maybe you just need to spend a bit more time with them.......And some breeds are more friendly than others too, so that can be the issue as well. Just keep trying and it'll be fine,

Sharon

Some are definitely more friendly, my Speckled Sussex girls are the friendliest of all my hens They are about 9 mos old and still eat out of my hand and follow me around but my 1 EE same age wants NOTHING to do with me but she lays the prettiest green eggs! Just be patient

 

[Minchi]

I set them up in my office so they see me all day. I also put a stuffed monkey in there cage that they seam to like. I will try feeding them from my hand a little more often. Two are EE's and one is a silver laced Wyandotte.

 

[Reurra]

I have 5 australorp chicks. Some are friendly and dont mind me putting my hand in, some act as though Im trying to eat them, and theres one that although she initially panics when i pick her up, she settles on my arm and starts preening and looking around. I have never given them worms or treats. I have just been hand taming them. Treats will be purchased today though so that they can get thier first taste of mealworm lol Mine are between 4-5 weeks old now. they sit behind my desk in the living room and are exposed to everyone, all the noises and all the sounds of our voices, Computers playing movies and such. Its good for them to hear it all because now the only noise that gets them running in a panic is my DH sneezing haha.

 

[canesisters]

Golddogsmom, I have 2 wonderful little speckled sussex. They are so calm and easy going - not particularly affectionate but just so compliant. I can just scoop them up and they just sit in my hand and look around. I hope they stay that way as hens.

My EE was a WILD CHILD for the first couple of weeks and then suddenly decided that she wanted to be the ONLY one getting any attention. She will try to pull the others out of my hand if I don't get them out of her reach fast enough. But my 2 SLWynadottes are definitely 'hands-off' chickens. I can catch them, but they are definitely NOT happy about being held. One thing that I've found to help (just a tiny bit) is to not let them dart out of my hands. When I'm putting them back in the brooder, I hold them gently but firmly (just above the floor) so there is no flapping or jumping. When they are sitting quietly, I slowly open my hands. If they start to wiggle or act like they're going to bolt away, I close my hands again till they are still. What I end up with is a quiet chick stepping off my hand instead of a panicked one bolting away.

 

[Minchi]

I will give that a try, right now they piratically fall out of my hand to get away.

 

[GoldDogsMom]

Golddogsmom, I have 2 wonderful little speckled sussex. They are so calm and easy going - not particularly affectionate but just so compliant. I can just scoop them up and they just sit in my hand and look around. I hope they stay that way as hens.

My EE was a WILD CHILD for the first couple of weeks and then suddenly decided that she wanted to be the ONLY one getting any attention. She will try to pull the others out of my hand if I don't get them out of her reach fast enough. But my 2 SLWynadottes are definitely 'hands-off' chickens. I can catch them, but they are definitely NOT happy about being held. One thing that I've found to help (just a tiny bit) is to not let them dart out of my hands. When I'm putting them back in the brooder, I hold them gently but firmly (just above the floor) so there is no flapping or jumping. When they are sitting quietly, I slowly open my hands. If they start to wiggle or act like they're going to bolt away, I close my hands again till they are still. What I end up with is a quiet chick stepping off my hand instead of a panicked one bolting away.

my 2 SS will hang with me in the coop whenever I am doing repairs/upgrades and cleaning! A couple of the others will come and go like they are checking on the progress but the SSs act like overseers!