Handling and picking up

[Sally PB]

After seeing all the various blogs about pet chickens, I think I was expecting my girls to want to be more physical with me. I'm ok with them not volunteering to be held or petted. Maybe just a teensy bit envious of people who have lap chickens. A friend of mine has some that are on laps as soon as he or his wife sit down.

They all come up to the door of the run when I'm in the area. I know they are expecting a treat of some kind, and I try not to disappoint. Usually it's grass clippings or garden greens. So they do have a positive association with me. They will take treats from my hand, no problem, but if I try to reach for them. they scamper away. Yesterday was progress.

 

[shineandrise]

I forgot... ours LOVE grapes also!
You can totally get yours to go on your lap. It just takes time. AND you can also research different breeds that are more friendly. Nice, progress!

 

[Lana bananna]

Just spend time with them and give them treats is what I do, don't try chasing them or picking them up if they obviously don't want to be held. But nearly all chickens even if they are are really nice squawk some when you pick them up, so don't stress about that. All treats should be fed in moderation, but here are some vegetables/fruits that chickens tend to like. Although different breeds do have totally different tastes.
1 Squash
2 Pumpkins
3 Cucumbers
4 Lettuce
5 Strawberrys
6 Watermelon
7 Blueberries
Also, most treats for chickens at TSC should be sufficient, or just collect some fresh worms from your ground!

My chickens like watermelon

 

[Urbanbird1]

I've been trying to get my three BA pullets to sit on my lap. They will eat out of my hand. The one treat that seems to pull them in the closest is bread. (Wouldn't you know? Something I can't give them much of!) Today, I took out a bowl of bread and sat on a cinder block in the corner of the run, with my legs stretched out. The bravest got on my lap twice and I was able to pet her a little on her wings, reaching in from the sides. The second bravest, got on my lap once, but jumped right off when I tried to stroke her wing. The most timid stood on my ankles for a second, but that was brave for her! So, progress. I have to find something they like as well as bread.

What treats work for you?

Definitely progress. I may have to try bread! They love watermelon, worms, squash seeds, and their just their feed. They haven’t been very interested in greens, apple, banana, or the squash flesh.

 

[K0k0shka]

If you get to the point where they let you hold them... Even if you get to the point where they are total lap chickens... Don't think your job is done. One surprising thing I've learned about chickens is that they regress super quickly. To maintain the friendly lap attitude, you have to practice practice practice and keep it up every day. My chickens were heavily socialized and handled since hatch, and all started out as attention-seeking lap chickens. As they grew, and as life started returning to some semblance of normal for us, we spent less and less time with them, and they got more and more aloof... Now the kids are back to school and I'm back to work, and sometimes days will go by without us spending quality time with the chickens and handling them (only "maintenance time"). The level of regression is shocking. Now only two of them will let me pick them up, the rest run away... And I used to be able to pick any of them up (they even used to let my 4-year-old pick them up before!) And none hop in my lap anymore. It's quite disappointing, and sad. I'll have to make time to sit with them and pick them up every day to get them back into the routine... I really miss the days when they came over on their own.

 

[Sammi_0411]

Mine eat out my hand if i need to handle them i wait for them to come to me they really not huge fan being picked up . Saying that a while ago one my gals managed to fly in to neighbours garden when i went ovr there she jumped in my arms wudnt move from my lap for an hour snuggling her head on my shoulder lol. I also found now my 11 week chicks outside they still come to me but dont want to be handled.much anymore xx

 

[HomesteaderWife]

Our rescue hen really didn't like to be picked up, but I made it into sort of a positive association training moment. When I picked her up, she gets a treat. I approach her slowly, work slowly, pick up slowly. However if she gets squirmy, she won't get a treat/release until settling down to calmly being held. For me personally, this has worked and now she's become very easy to handle. She doesn't willingly come to be picked up all the time, but it has made necessary handling smoother. Mind you, this is an adult bird.

I have a little hen I raised from a baby, and she was constantly handled and trained as a chick. She is...gosh probably 4 or 5 years old now. Still easy to hold and we worked on clicker training to fly to my arm a few years ago. She will come to you when called even when out freely in the yard. You can pick her up easily. They say younger animals have a critical period of development/learning and I think it made the difference with my hen to train her at such a young age.