Do your chickens like to be picked up and cuddled?

[3KillerBs]

I have six one year old Red Sex Link hens. They tolerate being handled but do not seek it out. I like it when the squat for me so I can pick them up. I try to touch them daily just so they don't fear me.
One hen, Opal, has taken to pecking me when I touch her. She bit my hand and drew blood a few weeks ago. She's quite aggressive when she want food and will come right up on her roost when I'm cleaning and try to peck at me. I'm not sure whether to thump her to let her know she can't get away with it or put her in my lap and keep her there until she tolerates it.

If she's pecking you she's trying to assert dominance. Letting an animal get away with asserting dominance over a human is a recipe for trouble down the road.

Keep your eyes above hers and make her submit to you. She'll learn that you're the top of the pecking order.

 

[nab58]

If she's pecking you she's trying to assert dominance. Letting an animal get away with asserting dominance over a human is a recipe for trouble down the road.

Keep your eyes above hers and make her submit to you. She'll learn that you're the top of the pecking order.

So do I whack her after she bites me to show her she can't get away with it or do I just keep trying to touch her (which makes her peck at me) to show her I'm not going to stop? I have dogs and am very familiar on how to show a dog your dominance but chickens are another thing!

 

[azygous]

First of all, whacking a chicken will only make them more fearful of you. To establish dominance, you push the chicken to the ground and hold her there until she becomes calm and quiet. That's all you do. I recently had one of my hens bite me, leaving a nasty bruise, and this is the way I dealt with it. She hasn't done it since.

However, she will continue to resent your trying to handle her unless you take measures to gain her trust. Sometimes it takes a long time and sometimes it never will happen since some breeds are loathe to touch.

To gain trust, offer her treats, but make her eat them from your hand. She may not fall for it at first, but she won't be able to resist forever. Gradually, while she's eating from one of your hands, slowly stroke her back with the other. At first, she won't let you stroke much, but after a few weeks, if you're willing to dedicate yourself to this, she may begin to trust you enough to let you hold her while she eats.

 

[nab58]

She's not fearful of me, just the opposite. She sees me as her food bag and is getting impatient and pushy when she wants her treats. The others wait patiently and will let me pet them because they know they will get a treat. She's demanding it by pecking at me.
I like the idea of holding her down and talking to her gently until she decides she has no choice and I'm not going to give up or harm her. I'm not a chicken torturer and don't like the thought of thumping her but she shouldn't be allowed to bite me either.
Thanks for the advice!

 

[realsis]

This is a picture of one of my girls laying on my lap. She loves to be held and cuddled! Her sister is the same way so cuddly! Gentle and loving. Their other sister is a little different. I can carry her but she does not enjoy it as much as the others. The two friendliest girls were purchased when one was 5 weeks old and the other 9 weeks old. I honestly think it really depends on the birds personality. These two were loves from day one! ! They are perfectly comfortable laying on my lap or being carried around by me. They trust me completely. But their other sister who I purchased at 8 weeks old she does not care much for human contact although she won't run from me she does not actually enjoy it.so really it's a matter of personality. Breeder said neither check had been handled much by humans. So I guess it just came naturally that they loved to cuddle. So really it all depends on the birds personality.

 

[TheEggCollecter]

I have a hen that loves to be held. If she sees you coming then she runs over to you and waits to be picked up. If I downtick her up she will fly onto my shoulder...

 

[3KillerBs]

So do I whack her after she bites me to show her she can't get away with it or do I just keep trying to touch her (which makes her peck at me) to show her I'm not going to stop? I have dogs and am very familiar on how to show a dog your dominance but chickens are another thing!

Don't show any fear and make her squat for you by holding your hand on her back -- she needs to know that you're the head rooster.

After she's squatted for you then pick her up and pet her, but keep your eyes above her eyes. In nature the dominant bird perches the highest.

I borrow from handling my cockatiels the principle that the bird does not decide to get down, I decide to put it down. With the chickens I grasp them carefully across their backs with my hands holding their wings close to their bodies so that they can't flap down out of my arms but, instead, have to wait for me to put their feet back on the floor. And I don't put the bird down until it is calm. If its making a fuss I pick it back up and pet it some more.

 

[threelittlepigs]

I love his picture!! I wish that was me I feel that way about my chooks, but they not me! Beautiful.

 

[The Momma]

I hatched mine and have raised them. This is my first batch of chickens ever and I am hooked. I have one an Australop that wanted to be held as a baby but now just likes to come up and sit next to me. I dare not pet any of them. They are not cuddlers. My roos are very sweet but having never been around roosters, I am intimidated by them and don't wanna be pecked. I walk around the coop and yard and they follow me and it's awesome. I really enjoy their company and we have great talks. LOL

My Plymouth Rock Partridges are amazing hens. I have one rooster and 3 hens. The other rooster is a mix of a Dominque and Plymouth Rock. They are both gorgeous but neither want to be bothered with you. They are awesome gentlemen and so far I am really a rooster fan unlike so many that don't care for them.

I think it's a chicken personality thing. While they love to be with me, coming when I call, and walking with me they are not cuddlers which is fine with me.

 

[PrairieChickens]

I have had a few VERY cuddly hens. My barred rock hen Sweet Basil will fly up to my arm and snuggle me--she loves sitting in my lap for as long as I will let her, and though she'll accept treats if I offer them to her, she's much more interested in being held. Recently, I hatched a batch of home-grown mutts, and they are so cuddly that we have a hard time putting them down. My mother was trying to take pictures of them the other day, and ended up with several little chickens climbing up her arms for a cuddle!


An old photo of Basil and Thyme. Thyme has since grown out of being cuddly, though she still likes being petted, but Basil still wants to be held whenever she can.

Sweet Basil joining me for a webcam chatting session.