Handling chicks for friendliness

[YULickenthat]

Hi!! I am new to BYC and basically the whole chicken raising thing in general, so forgive me if anything I ask makes me look like an ***. I am so excited to be starting this new venture! My family had chickens when I was a kid, so I remember very little info on the process. I just bought my first 5 Rhode Island Reds and have 4 black Australorps shipping at the end of April. I have been told that handling them a lot as babies can ensure friendlier chickens in the long run, making it easier to deal with them in the future. So here are my questions; how much handling does "a lot" entail, and what sort of handling? Do I pick them up? Do I pet them? Will it help to bring them "treats" when they are old enough to handle it? Any advice on helping to create happy friendly chickens is very welcome!

 

[Vian]

I just try to pick them up and pet them every day, probably for 5 minutes each. My rir pullets are already pretty calm at 12 days old. My old chickens would come when i called them and follow me around the yard.

 

[YULickenthat]

I just try to pick them up and pet them every day, probably for 5 minutes each. My rir pullets are already pretty calm at 12 days old. My old chickens would come when i called them and follow me around the yard.

Thanks for the suggestion! I am currently picking them up and holding them for short periods multiple times a day. I think (guestimated) they are just about a week and a half old.

 

[YULickenthat]

Hi!! I am new to BYC and basically the whole chicken raising thing in general, so forgive me if anything I ask makes me look like an ***. I am so excited to be starting this new venture! My family had chickens when I was a kid, so I remember very little info on the process. I just bought my first 5 Rhode Island Reds and have 4 black Australorps shipping at the end of April. I have been told that handling them a lot as babies can ensure friendlier chickens in the long run, making it easier to deal with them in the future. So here are my questions; how much handling does "a lot" entail, and what sort of handling? Do I pick them up? Do I pet them? Will it help to bring them "treats" when they are old enough to handle it? Any advice on helping to create happy friendly chickens is very welcome!

I have to correct myself, those so called RIRs (as I was told they were) are in reality production reds. I am learning as I go.

 

[TiffysFarm]

Handling them daily definitely helps! I have 2 that my kids held every day and they are such sweet girls! Not afraid at all. And I always bring them treats, so they RUN to me when they see me and follow me around the yard. Good luck! Chickens are so fun!