Handling Baby Chicks

[Nicole01]

I held my chicks a lot! I'm home and have the time. I would handle the skittish chicks more often. I'd take a towel and put it on my lap for the chicks to sit on. I always have toilet paper at hand to pick up the poo. My chicks are super friendly lap chickens.

. I held them constantly since the day after I brought them home.

 

[urban-chick-mom]

I am the proud first time mom of 3 chicks. We got them when they were 2 days and started picking them up right away. Someone told me to handle them as much as possible the first 2 weeks so they know who you are and they will bond to you. I would wear an apron that has a big pocket and put them in the pocket and walk around. Then I would sit down and they would one by one peek out of the pocket and sit on my lap. They are 7 weeks old now and I swear Lucy knows her name because she responds to my voice when I call her. She is so cute when I let the "girls" run around outside and when she sees me she runs over to say to hi. I want to raise them as pets not just egg layers.

 

[urban-chick-mom]

I forgot to also mention that every morning I would hand feed them grits and they all came running to me. Gladys, the Buff Orpington likes to jump up on my hand and the other two just kept on eating the grits. It was so cute.

 

[Zaxby's2]

Thanks! The hard part is that we have a broody hen taking care of our chicks so they don't really like being taken away from their mother.

I guess I can put food in my hands and let mom and the chicks get used to me handling them?