Handling chicks?

[Firstimer]

Hi! I'm new to the chicken world (although I had been plotting what I call a "chicken acquisition mission" for about 1 year now). I bought my first chicks (2 barred plymouth rocks which I hope fervently are hen though I had to try and sex them myself) last tuesday.

I was just wondering, I have read that I should try to handle my chicks so that they get used to me, but here is the catch: my chicks do NOT like being handled. Every time I pick them up either to clean their butts or to clean their aquarium (literally, I thought it'd be easier to clean than a cardboard box not to mention the added bonus of see-through sides) they peep madly. Seriously, you'd think they thought I was going to kill them or something. (flapping wings, potentially kamikaze attempt at jumping out of my hands, loud cry of distress...).

Is there something I can do to make them... well like me? I thought about treats, but they aren't a week old yet and I'm not sure what's safe to feed them at that age as I assume they are more delicate now than they will be a 3 weeks...

Please help? I got chicks because although I'm in chicken for the eggs, I want us to have a relationship... I kind of hoped (especially with BPR since I read they were a very friendly breed) that they could be kind of a pet.

Thank you!

S.

 

[debilorrah]

If you notice, they are fine once you pick them up. It is not you, but the Big Scary Hand coming down on them. It resembles a predator so they are instinctually frightened. Don't worry about it. All mine have done the same thing.

 

[fshinggrl]

Quote:
Agreed.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

I really do think Chicken Little ( The sky is falling!) was a leghorn.

 

[jhfields]

Quote:
yeah, I can't agree more

 

[gpamela3499]

From California
My chicks all acted the same but we had to give a 3month old a bath today and she never acts frightened at all of us now.

 

[Firstimer]

Thanks! I just tried holding on to them longer and they did settle down (one of them even lied down in my hand!) I guess that was kind of obvious (sorry) it's just when I saw them being scared I just wanted to put them down ASAP so that they wouldn't be scared anymore.

How often should I do it you think?

S.

 

[hikerchick]

crush some cheerios and put them in the palm of your hand. Problem solved.

 

[hikerchick]

I did the cheerio thing and now I feel like the chicken whisperer - they run to me ..I had one on my shoulder and one on my arm and 4 eating out of my hand yesterday.

Life is good.

 

[Firstimer]

LOL Chicken whisperer heh? I'll give the cherrios a try!