Handling chicks

[ThePRfan]

I just found it safe,and very unsureof what the punishment was

 

[enola]

If there are diseases that chickens can catch from dogs or humans, i for one would like to know what the diseases are.

 

[ThePRfan]

i have no clue exactlty

 

[Areolyn]

You don't have to be infected by them, by you can have diseases on your clothing or skin without knowing it, and can give them disease. I know of a few people who had sick chickens and I didn't know, and also didn't know the rooster I got was a carrier and I ended up infecting my standards by accident. They're still alive(minus one) but it was totally random and mishappen on my part.

 

[red horse ranch]

Happy Christmas Eve-Eve!!

I'm wanting to have my chicks grow to be very calm and comfortable with being handled and so forth. They'll be pets and egg providers.

Y'all have any pointers on handling them or interacting? Of course I'm always very careful not to hurt any of them. Especially gimpy, I don't wanna hurt her. I have three puff ball babies about a week old or less and a month old easter egger, Bonnie. (Don't tell the others but she's my favorite so far) lol! And furthermore thank you all so much for being so welcoming

kdolly87,

I raise several hundred chickens and guineas a year. They are all hatched in the house and kept in my front room for the first couple of weeks. We have never gotten sick from handling them and my grandchildren love to carry them around. I do not worry about GERMS and DISEASES because I use a lot of bleach and keep everything as clean as possible. I am more worried about the babies catching something from ME. My dog is quite healthy too even tho he sleeps in the front room a few feet away from them.

As far as taming them, I usually fall in love with at least one baby from every hatch. I like to put them next to my neck under my hair while I'm watching TV. I also catch moths around the outside light in the summer. Scrambled egg is a real treat that they will eat out of your hand.

Just have fun with your babies and don't let others tell you it is unhealthy to handle them.

 

[kdolly87]

kdolly87,
Thank you so much!
    I raise several hundred chickens and guineas a year. They are all hatched in the house and kept in my front room for the first couple of weeks. We have never gotten sick from handling them and my grandchildren love to carry them around. I do not worry about GERMS and DISEASES because I use a lot of bleach and keep everything as clean as possible. I am more worried about the babies catching something from ME. My dog is quite healthy too even tho he sleeps in the front room a few feet away from them.

   As far as taming them, I usually fall in love with at least one baby from every hatch. I like to put them next to my neck under my hair while I'm watching TV. I also catch moths around the outside light in the summer. Scrambled egg is a real treat that they will eat out of your hand.

Just have fun with your babies and don't let others tell you it is unhealthy to handle them.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I've handled mine from day one. They hang out with my dog, especially my three month roo. I'd rather have them friends to find out my dog decided to have supper one night. (He (roo) has a long story and is my pet chicken.) They get cuddles and sometimes even kisses! I brood in the house, (though I will never ever hatch and raise any inside during winter ever ever again unless there is a medical reason...lol) Even my cat will check them out from time to time. I wanted chickens that were going to be more human friendly and not so skiddish. I wanted birds that I could associate with. You are not going to get that by "just looking". To me, saying don't touch them you will give them germs or they will give you germs is no different than saying here's a cocketiel, but don't touch it.
It's a no brainer that you should wash your hands after touching them and not to sneeze or cough on any animal. Chickens have lived in barns with multitudes of other animals-it's natural. They are supposed to be durable hardy animals. (I mean they peck at their own poop on the ground and don't die for heaven's sake.)

I'd rather have this:






Than an agrressive or skiddish bird that you can't even be around.

 

[ThePRfan]

I was just saying from past experiences.My birds love me.I never needed to touch them.They roost,free range ETC with me.

I'd hate to have had anyone's chicks become sick,becomes of something they did.I understand your reasonings.

 

[TalkALittle]

I handled my birds a lot, right from the first day. I just made sure that I didn't keep them out of the brooder so long that their body temperature dropped. As they get older, they will be better able to regulate their body temperature and you can keep them out longer. Even if you only hold them for less than a minute at a time, if you do that often through the day they will learn to accept handling. I also made sure I washed my hands with antibacterial soap before and after I handled them or changed their water, feed, or bedding.

Another thing you can do right away is start training them to come when called. I started when my chicks were just days old and still in the brooder. I'd call, "Here chickie, chickie, chickie!" in a high trilling voice and offer them some starter crumbles. They seemed to like it more than their mash so I used it as a treat. I did this many times a day. Very soon, they would start to crowd around the front side of the brooder as soon as they heard me call. As they got older, I would call them and offer mealworm pieces or crushed sunflower seeds or a tiny bit of scratch grains. They were raised in the house and my son and I would hold "chick races" to see which chick would be the first to run across the dining room to eat from our outstretched hands.

Now they are grown and if they are out ranging in the yard I can call "Here, chickie, chickie" and they come running. Whenever I have kitchen scraps to give them or toss them some scratch or sunflower seeds, I call them so they associate my call with good things. It makes it so much easier to put them back in the pen or call them out of the flower beds. My sister's chickens were raised in the coop without a lot of handling and they run away if you try to pick them up. She has to try and herd them if she wants them moved or needs to put them in the coop.

 

[kyexotics]

Happy Christmas Eve-Eve!!

I'm wanting to have my chicks grow to be very calm and comfortable with being handled and so forth. They'll be pets and egg providers.

Y'all have any pointers on handling them or interacting? Of course I'm always very careful not to hurt any of them. Especially gimpy, I don't wanna hurt her. I have three puff ball babies about a week old or less and a month old easter egger, Bonnie. (Don't tell the others but she's my favorite so far) lol! And furthermore thank you all so much for being so welcoming

We're very big on bonding and imprinting ONLY with the birds we plan to keep...We will keep all babies we're keeping in house for at least a month or 2(except ducks, they get too big too fast) constantly playing with them and such...Even when we watch movies, on occasion, we'll both grab one or two and let them play and lay on our chests and stomachs while we watch the movie!...Good times!