getting baby chicks used to handling

[kortmom]

I have six new chicks that are six days old. I want friendly adult chickens. As adults, I would like for them to come running to me, let me pet them, maybe sit with me a few minutes. I have heard over and over to handle them all the time. They get very nervous if I just reach into the brooder and pick them up. I can't imagine this is good for them getting so nervous.

I have been taking a different approach lately. I have been talking to them over the top of the brooder when I come into the room and I have been putting my hand into the brooder, moving it very slowly, and just leaving it there for a few minutes. They get curious and come over and peck my hand or brush up against my hand as they walk by. I don't grab at them and just leave my hand still. I have also put a few pieces of feed in my hand and a few of them have come over and taken the food from me.

Should I just continue doing what I'm doing and slowly move into giving them a quick pet as they go by,offering them treats from my hand as they get older, etc, and work up to picking them up over the next few weeks, or should I snatch them up one by one and hold them and pet them? I just can't see how that is an effective way of making them not be afraid. It seems to me the slow and steady approach will work much better. I have seen pictures of people holding these tiny little babies, but mine scatter if I try to pick them up.

 

[nannie]

pick them up and hold them close to you.talk tt them all the time. mine are 10 weeks old still skittish.

 

[WarrenHound]

regular handling and offering fun treats .

i was dropper feeding some chicks the other day and another came by to investigate the dropper that was filled with a mix of yogurt and egg yolk now i have about 20 birds lol all running up to me hoping for that treat ;p

make your visits with them positive .

i raised a pair of geese that i am ever thankful for doing this with as my gander will rub up on me like a cat and follow me around begging for attention

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

All the chicks I've raised have been skittish during their first few weeks. Every action, whether it be to check for pasty but or simply clean the waterer is met with panic. Once they are old enough to start getting treats, I started introducing the treats (a favorite was aphids off my poor lupines) I'd call "treats, treats" in a high voice and put the plate in their brooder. They learned to run towards my hands rather than run away from them. Even my meat birds, which I tried really hard not to get emotionally attached to started flocking towards me when I came into their runs. All my adult layers run at comicaly high speeds, even leaving the ground and flying along for short periods when they are free rangeing and I come out with scratch or other treats to lure them back into their run.

So, I guess my point is, with this new batch of babies I got last week, I'm handling them to check their bottoms once or twice a day, tapering off now that they've all been clean for several days in a row but not handling them too much more just yet. My hand in the brooder causes all sorts of panic and flapping about so I just let them get used to the sound of my voice but don't add to their panic. I do not doubt that in a few weeks, they will start associating me with good stuff, rather than the scary person who grabs them and sometimes messes with their behinds and that by the time they are ready to go out to the big girl run, they will start being curious.

Also, some breeds or individuals are bolder and more friendly than others. Some will jump up on my lap if I'm reading a book outside or allow me to pat them when they come over to investigate my feet for hidden snacks (beware of having open toed shoes and red toe nail polish) while others keep a bit more distance. I'm not sure it does any good to traumatize them when they are tiny and it isn't like you have to bond with them from day one in order to have friendly chickens who come when they are called.

 

[shmccarthy]

If you haven't already done so, boil some eggs and crush them up. Baby chickens love it and its pretty good for them. If you let them try it first, they'll eat it out of your hand once they get the taste and it'll make them more comfortable around you.

 

[kortmom]

i just typed up my whole reply and lost it, so here goes again.

I tried the mashed hard boiled egg yolk today out of my hand and 3 of my birds loved it. The other 3 didnt try it. As far as breeds I have easter eggers, which are the bravest of the bunch and will check out my hand and eat out of it. They are the first birds to try something new and then others follow. My RIRs are sweet but are standoffish. I think they will be my biggest challenges. My buff orps are very friendly. One is braver than the other about checking out my hand or trying new things. The smaller buff is more timid than her sister.

Whenever I walk in the room theyre in I always talk to them so they hear my voice.

I will just keep offering a bit of egg a few times a week and when they get a little bigger I will hand feed other treats. I am going to stick with hand feeding them treats. If they want one they will have to take it from their scary mommy's hand.

 

[kortmom]

i just typed up my whole reply and lost it, so here goes again.

I tried the mashed hard boiled egg yolk today out of my hand and 3 of my birds loved it. The other 3 didnt try it. As far as breeds I have easter eggers, which are the bravest of the bunch and will check out my hand and eat out of it. They are the first birds to try something new and then others follow. My RIRs are sweet but are standoffish. I think they will be my biggest challenges. My buff orps are very friendly. One is braver than the other about checking out my hand or trying new things. The smaller buff is more timid than her sister.

Whenever I walk in the room theyre in I always talk to them so they hear my voice.

I will just keep offering a bit of egg a few times a week and when they get a little bigger I will hand feed other treats. I am going to stick with hand feeding them treats. If they want one they will have to take it from their scary mommy's hand.

 

[kortmom]

Oops. Double post.

 

[2Sesslers]

Kortmom - sounds like you are doing the right thing. I am new to this as well, and am doing many of the same things as you are. I have 6 that are 6-8 weeks, and they have become MUCH more used to me over the past 2 weeks. They rush over whenever I crouch dow by their run to see if I have any goodies. They also will come over to me and not run in panic when i pick them up. I never touched them when they were in their brooder.
I have 2 SLWs that are 3-4 weeks old and in a brooder. They are quite shy but I have been handling them a little more than I did the others, so I am anxious to see how they turn out.

I am also looking forward to fun hens that want to be around me, not run in fear

 

[RoseMarie1]

I have six new chicks that are six days old. I want friendly adult chickens. As adults, I would like for them to come running to me, let me pet them, maybe sit with me a few minutes. I have heard over and over to handle them all the time. They get very nervous if I just reach into the brooder and pick them up. I can't imagine this is good for them getting so nervous.

I have been taking a different approach lately. I have been talking to them over the top of the brooder when I come into the room and I have been putting my hand into the brooder, moving it very slowly, and just leaving it there for a few minutes. They get curious and come over and peck my hand or brush up against my hand as they walk by. I don't grab at them and just leave my hand still. I have also put a few pieces of feed in my hand and a few of them have come over and taken the food from me.

Should I just continue doing what I'm doing and slowly move into giving them a quick pet as they go by,offering them treats from my hand as they get older, etc, and work up to picking them up over the next few weeks, or should I snatch them up one by one and hold them and pet them? I just can't see how that is an effective way of making them not be afraid. It seems to me the slow and steady approach will work much better. I have seen pictures of people holding these tiny little babies, but mine scatter if I try to pick them up.

yes on the SLOOOOW and steady. I move fast talk fast etc. and am always hurrying around. My chicks are teaching me to chill out and take it slower because IF I go out to the pen and start rushing around it freaks them out. Let me go slow and talk to them and squat down and put out my hand and here they come. No none of them like being picked up though. I do have 3-4 that will squak when I pick em up but they soon stop when I start talking to them. I had one the other day when I went to sit it on the floor of the pen it's leg was all drawn up under it. lol it didn't want to be put down. lol I fell out laughing.