Handling chickens ?

[zekii]

Have a starter group of chicks and I've been handling all of them daily, just wondering what precautions I should be aware
handling full grown chickens ? Is there a right way/wrong way to handle them, I imaging some are easier to handle than others ? Do you wear gloves to avoid scratches, or pecks ? I'm sure I'll find out on my own has my chicks mature...

 

[LarryPQ]

For the most part, you wont get any injuries from your hens. just dont wear shiny jewelry, or things that dangle.

If you need to do something to a chicken, pick it up by pinning its wings to its sides.

If you have a freaked out flapper, hold the hen by its feet, and let it hang for a few seconds. The blood rushes to their heads and they go still in 3 or 4 seconds. Then you can easily flip it over, clasp the wings to its sides, and be on your merry way.

 

[zekii]

Quote:
Good info... thanks !!!

How about Roosters I guess they can cause a little more in the way of injuries ?

 

[LarryPQ]

Maybe. My roosters are all lap chickens, so they are pretty much wussitized.

But a rooster is still a chicken, and has all the same outside parts and a hen--except if your roo has spurs. Mine do, until I trim them (for the ladies

)

 

[noodleroo]

Gloves...no. I just get scratches....but its just when they fall off of me or when they jump up onto my lap sometimes, they misjudge the landing a little. We are almost always in shorts and tank tops or t-shirts here so gloves are the last defensive clothing I would think of. LOL

With that said, they like to explore anything shiney so watch your piercings and your eyes. They don't mean to hurt, at least mine don't. I just live with the little dings I get sometimes and I don't even think about them...

 

[LaBaze]

You dont need gloves, chickens wont often scratch you. I always hold mine by pinning their wings to their sides. Although the best time to tame them is when they are chicks, I couldnt get into our brooder but could take them out to play with them, but once they were about a month old and out of the brooder and into the large pen that we have for them I would get inside and just sit in their for half an hour or so once or twice a day and just watch them and pet them when they came by. After about a week they would come right next to me and I became good friends with a barred rock chick, on a cold day I snuggled her in my jacket and she took a nap and we have been friends ever since.

Just dont make them feel like your "controlling" or "capturing" them. Make them your friends. Have fun with your chickies!