Handling the babies

[yesfantina]

Expecting our first ever chicks next week(5 of them). We are all very excited. I have a couple questions about handling them.

First - how much can we play with them? it says not too much for the first couple days. (what is too much?) We dont' want to stress them but I know we are all looking forward to holding them some. And isn't it true that the more we play with them when they're in the brooder, the friendlier they'll be later? We want them used to people...

And the 2nd side of the handling question - I've been seeing adorable pictures on the facebook side of little chicks running around, and sitting on laps and climbing on children... I understand that it's important to wash your hands after handling them,.. but How important is it? How safe IS it to have the chicks running around the floor? Do you have to clean the floor (more than the obvious poopmesses) everytime theyr'e let out? If the chickens are held close to your body, should you be changing clothes before you .. sit down to watch TV? Once outside, can we still run around in the backyard barefoot? Sorry if these seem silly, I'm just starting to worry about EVERYTHING now Is it important health wise to be clean freaks about it? Or is it really not that dire?

Thanks

 

[skysoldier]

I would not "play" with them at all during the first few days. Just let them recover from the stress of shipping . . . or just plain being relocated. If you handle them a lot as they grow in the brooder they will likely be more social than if you do not. Chickens are social creatures wuthin their own species and that can be transferred to you most of the time.

As for cleanliness. . . It is VERY important to clean up around and after the chicks the chicks but paranoia is not required. Common sense should rule here but DO watch any children around the chicks and insist that they wash their hands after handling the chicks. In reality, one is more likely to get nasty disease bugs from cats and dogs (due to frequency of contact) than with chickens. Enjoy your chickens as pets if that is what you desire to do. Have fun, enjoy learning from and about them and FEAR NOT.

 

[jaimepowell]

We got 8 baby chicks when there were only a couple days old. For the first few days I didn’t let any of the kids hold them just peek at them and talk to them. After that they were allowed to pick them up 3 times a day for a couple minutes each time. Our tiniest chick, Baby Mimi (an oriental bantam) fell in love with being handled and would peep loudly when we put her back in the brooder--so she got to be held a lot more and would even fall asleep laying on my daughter! My kids have continued to hold them for a little bit everyday and they are very social. They are now about 7 weeks old and are outside in a coop and run and will walk all over the kids if they go out to sit and visit. We make sure to wash our hands every time we hold them and so far have been plenty healthy! Good luck!

 

[yesfantina]

awww so cute! thanks! So.. you didnt' feel a need to change her shirt and wash the blanket after that picture? good to know she is so cute - i miss when my kids were that young - they are older teens now and a totally different kind of handful!

and Skysoldier, i like the FEAR NOT comment - as it's getting closer i'm worrying more.

 

[CrazyCatLady76]

No, you don't need to change clothes or wash blankets. Assuming, of course, that you aren't licking your clothing or bedding.

The things we can catch from chickens, like coccidia or salmonella, are generally spread by the fecal/oral route. If something may be contaminated with poo (like the bottoms of little birdie feet or bedding) or has been in contact with something that may be contaminated (like your hands after handling birds or bedding) you need to clean and sanitize that item before getting it anywhere around your mouth or anything that will be going near your mouth. Your hands will be close to or on your mouth, far more than you realize if you've never had to wear sterile gloves or work in food service and can't touch your face, and will also be touching things like your chapstick or cigarettes or toothbrush or dishes/cutlery. Your clothes and blankets generally won't have that kind of contact, so you don't need to wash them after bird exposure for the same reason you don't have to sterilize, say, the toilet handle or cat litter scoop.