Handling my chicks right?

[LadyFish19]

Hello! I'm the proud owner of my first set of chicks! I've had them since they were a day-two days old. I've been handling them quite a bit. They are about a week and a couple of days old now. I've been handling them since day one, and I try to hold each one for at least a couple of minutes. However, they still are scattering and protesting a lot when I pick them up. Am I doing something wrong? Is it because they are still young? Should I be handling them more? I want to get them to a point where I can handle them very easily when they are older. And to not run from me but to me. I'd appreciate any tips on getting this to happen!

 

[binza1979]

Keep doing what you are doing. As they get older, you can give treats and such.

 

[Murphy212]

Thanks for your post, you are so not alone. My week and half old chicks do the exact same thing...run from instead of to and protest when picked up. Once they are up and held gently and quietly in my hand they calm right down. And sometimes go right to sleep. In the next week or so, I plan to start them on some treats to make them like me.....lol.
any way I appreciate your post and hope they all "run to us" some day.
I have 11 babies and don't know what I was thinking....I don't even have a coop yet. But I will!!!!
Good luck to you and your babies.
Murphy

 

[ikesik]

My 3 week olds are exact opposites. One doesn't seem to mind being held or perching on a finger, the other runs around and flaps like a maniac. And invariably the one that didn't get picked up peeps at the separation.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

 

[LadyFish19]

Binza1979: Thank you for the tip! I will definitely keep it up. What do you suggest for treats? And at how old should I start giving them the treats?

Murphy212: I'm glad I'm not the only one facing these issues! Only a few of mine will fall asleep or calm down when I'm holding them. A few of them wiggle and squirm to the point of almost falling out of my grip. Hopefully just handling them constantly will help. I will start treats soon and hopefully that will convince them.

I have 13 little ones, and still have yet to clean out our chicken coop. (It is currently being used as a storage shed) And thank you for sharing with me! Best of luck to you and your babies!

Ikesik: I hope once my chicks hit 3 weeks old that they'll be doing the same!!

 

[Chickens R Us]

Give them meal worms and they will come running once they've tried them.