Handling baby chicks

[Osburnsa]

Hi, I'm new here & new to chickens.I recently acquired 6 baby White Leghorn pullets. They are about 2 weeks old. Of course, they are quite flighty, and I'm wondering if handling them a lot will help. They're just so scared. I was holding one earlier & she seemed to calm down pretty quickly, but I don't want to stress them out too much. How often should I be handling them?

Stephanie

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! Just start by being present, and maybe have your hand in the brooder. Soft talking, and time. Mary

 

[sunflour]

Glad you have joined us.

Chicks and chickens are scared of things from above ( like hawks), so when you place your hand in the brooder, let them see your hand low. They are old enough to try dried mealy worms ( but do give chick grit) and hold one in your hand or fingers and they will come to you. Once one is brave they will all be involved and you can hold a few in a hand for them. Keeper of the treats = their best friend. Talk to them and make slow movements, they will learn to love you.

 

[KrysPel]

Welcome welcome! Let me share what I did, Diffidently talk to them when you are around them, get them used to your voice and you being there and being present as much as you can. If you have the time, kind of sit with them and talk to them while you are supervising them, they'll get used to you and not see you as so much as a threat. After a little bit of that, I would reach my hand into there brooder, of course, they would at first scatter from me, but after a while they wouldn't mind me, and eventually started coming up to me and investigating, even pecking at my finger nails! Haha! Make sure to kind of keep your hand down low and not above them. And slow movements are key, I would say!

Then I started hand feeding them and gently petting them with a finger or two while talking quietly. They warmed up to me quickly! (.......Which may or may not have had something to do with the fact I was presenting them with food!

ah, I always did hear the way to the heart was through the stomach)

I did this with my very first batch of chicks ever, they were six golden sex link chicks, I got them when they were around 1-2 weeks and they are now 6 weeks old and practically come running to me when I greet them! It should work, have fun with your chicks!

 

[azygous]

Food always works. It's the common language between humans and chickens.

Here's something you can try. Ease your hand into the brooder and slide it across the floor. Let it sit there motionless and let the chicks get used to it being there. Then slowly slide it up against the toes of a chick and leave it there. Keep nudging the chick's toes until it steps onto your hand. Raise the chick up a few inches. Chicks love this.

After a while the chicks will hop right onto your hand for "elevator" rides. Good times.

 

[KrysPel]

Food always works. It's the common language between humans and chickens.

Here's something you can try. Ease your hand into the brooder and slide it across the floor. Let it sit there motionless and let the chicks get used to it being there. Then slowly slide it up against the toes of a chick and leave it there. Keep nudging the chick's toes until it steps onto your hand. Raise the chick up a few inches. Chicks love this.

After a while the chicks will hop right onto your hand for "elevator" rides. Good times.

Yes! Even my grown chicks love this!! Haha!

 

[Osburnsa]

Thanks everyone! I've been trying since I'd this, but I haven't tried any treats, yet. I'll have to find some mealworms, I guess.

 

[livinablesdlife]

  Glad you have joined us.

Chicks and chickens are scared of things from above ( like hawks), so when you place your hand in the brooder, let them see your hand low. They are old enough to try dried mealy worms ( but do give chick grit) and hold one in your hand or fingers and they will come to you.  Once one is brave they will all be involved and you can hold a few in a hand for them.  Keeper of the treats = their best friend.  Talk to them and make slow movements, they will learn to love you.

We just got 6 pulleys too. What is chick grit? Is it different than the chick food?? Thanx

 

[azygous]

Grit is what chicks and adult chickens use in their gizzard to grind up food in lieu of teeth. For chicks, the grit will be fine like sand, in fact sand works splendidly. For adult chickens the grit can be pebbles up to an eighth of an inch in diameter. Chickens automatically select the right size grit for their size and age.

If your chick is in a brooder with no access to outdoors where they would find grit in the soil they scratch in, you need to supply it if you're feeding anything other than chick starter feed. You can buy it where you buy chicken feed or just grab some soil from outdoors. The chicks will have a ball with it.

 

[livinablesdlife]

Thanx so much