Cuddle-a-holic with chickies

[FarmerDenise]

Who says you're not supposed to cuddle them too much?
I agree with Amosunknown - someone scientific, who doesn't know squat about those cute little baby chicks, nor how to raise lovable pet chickens.
If you don't cuddle them, how would they learn that you love them and that you are trustworthy. Momma hens cuddle their babies all the time. And I cuddle all my babies as much as possible, not an easy task with 18 chicks and two bottle baby kittens. Doesn't leave much time for chores. oops!!

 

[lisahaschickens]

funny, I posted about this twice already today - it's a popular topic!

Here is my advice/experience:

HOLD THEM EVERY SECOND YOU CAN. Hold on until they stop screaming and fighting it. It makes all the difference in the world.

I, too, was told not to mess with/hold my babies too much so I wouldn't stress them out. And I was told you cannot force them into friendliness. Well, 11.5 weeks later only ONE of my fifteen chickens will allow any petting or even touching at all. The other fourteen will hang out with people and eat from your hand, etc, but if you try to touch them, they jump, run, and scream like you are stabbing them with a knife.

Since I took the wonderful advice of "not pushing it," I have read so many stories and seen so many pictures of people cuddling and playing with their babies all the time since they are born. And then I read about friendly grown-up chickens and I know that's the difference. I am absolutely devastated that my chickens don't like to be petted or held (with the one exception). It was my dream to have snuggly chickens and I ruined it by taking bad advice and trying too hard not to hurt them. I spent hours with them but didn't pick them up unless I needed to because I was told not to.

Again - HOLD THEM - DON'T RESIST!!! You will be so happy you did.

 

[aidenbaby]

I, too, have been trying to hold mine pretty often. It isn't easy as I'm trying to build a coop and run, watch my own kids, watch my daycare kids, plus attempting to keep on top of the trainwreck the kids make of the house. I can't wait until winter is finished and it is at least 70 degrees every day.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

Oh goodness yes, I snorgle mine regularly. First thing in the a.m. when I wake up, in the minutes between getting ready for work, when I come home on my lunch break, first thing when I get home in the evening, and anytime that I catch them awake up until the point I go to bed.

The problem is that one little white EE chicky is particularly friendly and hogs the hand from the rest. This little one will jump into my hand and nest down into my palm to be picked up, and it ends up getting more attention than the other 10 chicks even though they're all gathered around waiting their turn. I am completely melted by the sweetness. No doubt this one will turn out to be a roo. But I'm keeping it just for the sweet gene.

 

[FarmerDenise]

lisahaschickens don't give up on yours, they may not get to be really cudly, but they can mellow out enough to watn to be held. I've gotten adult chickens at the farm store, that were supposedly almost wild that now let me hold them. One of them comes to me for protections and when things get tense, she lets me pick her up. I make a point of bringing each chicken in the house for a day or so. (I use diapers on them). This seems to help tame them and makes them more comfortable about being in the house when they need medical care. they may not end up as lap chickens, but with age they do mellow out.

 

[Sequin]

So long as the chicks don't get chilled while you are holding them love 'em as much as you can. I have slept with my 2 day olds shielded from chill with a warm heating pad before. They all lived and are doing just fine. So long as they get what they need like water and food, and you don't mind the occasional poo(so I suggest holding them with a towel under neath them to keep your clothes etc. clean from the little droppings), there is no harm in holding them frequently. As they get older they start loving their excursions out of the brooder - I enjoy watching a movie while cuddling with my chicks. They usually fall asleep and are just soo cute!!

 

[Lil Chickie Mama]

Thanks all for your replies! I don't know where I heard you aren't supposed to hold them too much, but I know I did... Anyway, I'm glad everyone has had so much success with cuddling them! I work from home so as of Saturday, it's on Cuddle fest 2009, hope Bella doesn't get jealous. Yeayyyyy! Is it Saturday yet? Aw, nope, 3 days in counting...

 

[lisahaschickens]

FarmerDenise -

Thanks for the kind words of encouragement. Ever since I realized that the "let them be" advice was bad, I started working on picking them up and petting them anyway. As of now, my two Cuckoo Marans girls and one Buff Orpington don't run away from petting... they allow a little and at most move just an inch or two away from your hand. They are also easy enough to catch and hold and while they cluck slightly nervously, we just stroke them and speak softly to them, telling them how pretty and nice they are and they at least tolerate it. I can tell that we're making progress because if we can ever even manage to catch any of the others, they kick and scream and try desperately to leap from our grasp at any cost and don't calm down no matter how long we can manage to hold them. So, I'm hoping for a few more semi-snuggly girls in the future. I just wish I had known that it was good and not bad to hold them as babies.