Friendly chickens?

[iopele]

I'm due to get my first dozen true standard Araucana day-old chicks (YAY YAY YAY!!!) around mid-month, but I have no experience whatsoever with raising tame and friendly chickens. All our chickens have been free-range, human-shy, and very hands-off. I'll be sharing the free-range yard with my father's chickens (most of a city lot is given to the chickens) and while they're not afraid of us, they certainly don't stand still for petting. I want to have friendly Araucanas! How do I do it?

 

[Critter Crazy]

Lots of holding, and hand feeding. Feed their feed from your hand many times a day, pick them up, and handle them as muc as possible.

 

[homechick]

But even if you do this, will you always have some chickens that do not want to be handled and would rather never be touched by you? I have one that makes me think she will always be like that.

 

[countrygirl4513]

mine are 7 wks old all cochins. i've been handling them since they arrived. now that they are teens, there are those who don't want to be touched. but there are those like my brahmas that will come up and roost on my leg or arm, shoulder, even my head. it greatly depends on the breed too. brahmas are known for their gentle personality. but letting them hear your voice being right in there with them gets them use to you and they will regard you as one of the flock. or they may regard you as that human that has those great treats.

 

[iopele]

Sounds great! I'll just have to love on my chickens...

... oh, what a hardship.

I'm converting an unused wire dog crate/cage into a brooder--just need to line the bottom and sides with some of the 1/4" mesh I've got so the cat can't get his paw in there and mess with my babies, and then I'm all set! I figure I'll keep them inside the house for a week or 10 days, handling them daily, and then move them outside (still with the daily handling) and then hopefully I'll have sweet, friendly chickens. Thanks!

 

[Picco]

People who visit my house say I have the friendliest chickens they have ever seen. They are really more like dogs. I have a few secrets to share about my success.

I usually only raise chicks in small batches; under a dozen at a time. This way the chicks get more attention. If you have too many chicks they will get more attached to each other tha to humans. I handle them as much as possible and try to hand feed them too.

Always talk to them before reaching into the brooder so they do not startle. I find it best to use a brooder they can see out of (guinea pig cage). I put my brooder up high on an end table in my living room so they are always exposed to humans.

 

[Critter Crazy]

Just sitting in their coop with them helps alot. just having your presense seems to make them understand, that you are one of the flock! My birds are very friendly, but there are still a few that just dont want anything to do with me. Just the way they are. Then there are those that suprise you, like my Hamburg hen, she was always a flighty bird, and then one day, she just decided we were best friends!

 

[iopele]

Oh, beautiful girl! Love the blue ears, and that blissful look on her face!

GREAT advice, and thanks so much! I have a very small house but the kitchen is divided from the living room by a bar, and I plan to put the brooder on the bar. Not only will that have them around us pretty much every second we're home, it'll keep them off the floor and make sure the dog knows that these are NOT for her!

My sons are sooooooo excited about "making pet chickies" and I have to admit, I am too. Araucanas seem like such cool chickens... argh, why aren't they here yet! :lol

We've got 2 Welsummer babies (3 days old, alas the only 2 chicks to hatch out of a clutch of 14

) in the incubator right now because the brooder needs some maintenance before I can move them out (Dad's coming tomorrow to fix it). Tonight I picked them up and petted them as I talked to them--they're used to my voice because I talk to the eggs whenever I turn them, trying to be like a clucky hen I guess, lol. I let my sons pet them with a fingertip, too. When I went back an hour ago to check their water, one of them didn't even move when I reached over and stroked its back with a fingertip--she likes me so fast! The other one isn't so sure... but I'll win her over. Oh yes, I'll win her over...