Handling chicks

[kdolly87]

It's up to you how much you handle your chicks. Personally, I handle my chicks as much as I possibly can after I get them, giving them a day or so to settle into their brooder, of course. I would not advise letting toddlers handle the chicks, though, since they just don't understand that squeezing little chicks does not equal love. As long as children, adults too, wash their hands before and after handling chicks, disease need not be an issue to fear. Chicks handled lovingly and frequently are absolutely more apt to grow up to be people-friendly and unafraid when people come into the run, as opposed to frightened and skittish when they see strangers. I make it a routine to handle my baby chicks at least once a day for "lap-training" as I like to call it. They snuggle under my chin, or in the crook of my arm, later on perching on my computer screen while I'm on BYC. They almost all grow up to enjoy being lap-hens, and they continue to enjoy being hugged and cuddled. At the very least, if I need to handle them for any reason, I don't have to run them down and catch them.[COLOR=005CB1] [/COLOR]

Awwww they're so sweet!! My toddler has been extremely good with them! Of course they're a bit more hardy now so I'm not as afraid but still just as watchful. She has her favorite lol. My wyandotte just really don't seem to care for handling. They put up with it but they're more high strung than my orp and what I believe to be australorp mix. Here's my personal favorite Bonnie watching tv with me.

 

[azygous]

I've raised two fleets of Wyandott chicks, and they are a somewhat stand-offish breed. However, they have been known to come around.

When I raised the first Wyandottes, I was completely ignorant about brooders, and they were in a big cardboard box on the floor. Each time I reached in for them, all eight would scatter to the four corners, screeching like I was diving in to kill them. It wasn't until my next batch of chicks, a couple years later, that the light went on in my head about brooders. Afterward, all my brooders are now elevated and are accessed from the side.

Those first Wyandottes, the three that remain, are now six years old. But they are still skittish. Even still, I'm slowly making inroads on getting them to trust me. Chickens can change, even if it takes years.

It looks like you're doin' it right!

 

[kdolly87]

I've raised two fleets of Wyandott chicks, and they are a somewhat stand-offish breed. However, they have been known to come around.

When I raised the first Wyandottes, I was completely ignorant about brooders, and they were in a big cardboard box on the floor. Each time I reached in for them, all eight would scatter to the four corners, screeching like I was diving in to kill them. It wasn't until my next batch of chicks, a couple years later, that the light went on in my head about brooders. Afterward, all my brooders are now elevated and are accessed from the side.

Those first Wyandottes, the three that remain, are now six years old. But they are still skittish. Even still, I'm slowly making inroads on getting them to trust me. Chickens can change, even if it takes years.

It looks like you're doin' it right!

With Gimpy and Nancy (GLW) I've adapted and even though I do have them on the floor in an open top brooder I go slow when trying to pick them up which I limit of course.

One jumped into the toilet (long story) and had to be blow dried. She absolutely LOVED blow drying! So I'm going to introduce that as their reward for handling and stuff.

These are our feather babies! We gotta cuddle em if even just a little lol

 

[azygous]

I can picture a little chick standing there getting the spa treatment! Yes, chickens adore being blow dried. People think they'd be afraid of the noise, but they ignore the noise 'cause they love the warm air. First hen I ever had to blow dry was a three-year old Orpington that I had adopted. I had to give her a full bath, she was filthy. I was surprised she stood perfectly still for the entire 30 minutes it took to dry her.

You just go ahead and love and cuddle those babies all you want! It doesn't hurt them any more than too much love harms a human baby. All creatures respond to love. In all these years of cuddling chicks, I haven't seen any evidence it's harmed them any.

 

[kdolly87]

I can picture a little chick standing there getting the spa treatment! Yes, chickens adore being blow dried. People think they'd be afraid of the noise, but they ignore the noise 'cause they love the warm air. First hen I ever had to blow dry was a three-year old Orpington that I had adopted. I had to give her a full bath, she was filthy. I was surprised she stood perfectly still for the entire 30 minutes it took to dry her.

You just go ahead and love and cuddle those babies all you want! It doesn't hurt them any more than too much love harms a human baby. All creatures respond to love. In all these years of cuddling chicks, I haven't seen any evidence it's harmed them any.

Thanks!! I'm going to send you a DM of part of some pampering my Bonnie got tonight