tizabel_
Songster
I have a flock of 8 pullets that are all about 2 weeks old. One I suspect is a cockerel. I’ve had them for only a week and because they met me at a week old, they’re still very cautious of me. I have 3 speckled Sussex, 3 EEs, and and 2 buff orpingtons. Of the breeds that would do well in my climate and with my setup, they were said to be the friendliest.
A few years ago when I raised my first flock, I got day-old english orpington chicks and had their brooder in my room. I don’t remember exactly how I did it, if I held them and didn’t put them down until they were calm, or if I didn’t pick them up unless they wanted to be, but I remember that I handled them quite a bit. Their brooder was a crate and it was right next to my bed so i spent a lot of time with them and they saw me constantly for probably the first 2-3 weeks of their life. After that they got too messy with kicking bedding on my carpet and they moved to the garage, but I still spent a good amount of time with them.
From my old flock I remember that the buff orpingtons and my blue orpington rooster were the friendliest of the bunch. They loved my attention and would jump on my lap and practically purr under my touch. They were so sweet. The rest were comfortable enough to jump on my lap and shoulders but they didn’t enjoy petting or being held.
I am out of school for the summer so I want to devote all of my free time to raising cuddly chickens who will enjoy being held and pet. I know a huge part of that is just the individual chicken and their personality, but I want to try to teach them to love me as much as possible. Does anyone have any tips?
Unfortunately I can’t keep them in my room anymore but I’m sure that would help. They are in a large dog crate, in a shed outside. I’ve heard it helps to have a side opening door instead of a lid so you don’t seem like an aerial predator.
First all I did was put my hand in there and sneakily pet them with one finger while they weren’t paying attention. They got very used to my hand being close to them but as soon as they felt my touch they made an alarmed chirp and moved out of my reach. They also jumped on my lap very comfortably. I liked that they weren't scared of my hand anymore but I was skeptical that I would ever be able to hold and pet them if I did everything on their terms. They wouldn’t ever walk into my hand and choose to be held and pet.
So then I tried a different technique, which was forcing my love on them. As fast as possible so that I don’t stress them out by chasing them around the cage, I take turns picking each of them up, put them on my lap, and pet them until they fall asleep in my hand. Then I open my hand so they can choose to leave calmly without thinking that they have “escaped” my grasp. Sometimes they stay asleep for a while after I release my hold. Most of them will fall asleep if I pet them the right way, but about 3 just don’t like petting and their screams are ear piercingly loud. I haven’t been letting them go until they stop struggling but that just seems wrong when they scream like that.
After trying the second technique, they still jump on my knees without hesitation but now they freak out when I put my hand in their cage because they think I’m going to grab them. I hope I haven’t ruined any chances I had.
I spend at least an hour with them each day, and i’ve tried hand feeding them but they aren’t interested. I even caught some tiny millipedes to feed them but they wouldn’t eat those out of my hand either. They went crazy for them on the ground but they just watched them crawling around on my hand and then lost interest.
What should I do? I chose friendly breeds, tried to get them as young as possible, and I spend as much time with them as I can. They’re still so scared though. Should I keep forcing them to be held and pet in hopes that they’ll grow to enjoy it, or should I only pick them up when they want to be? I don’t think they’ll ever want to be picked up.
Sorry this ended up being so long and thank you so much for reading this far!
A few years ago when I raised my first flock, I got day-old english orpington chicks and had their brooder in my room. I don’t remember exactly how I did it, if I held them and didn’t put them down until they were calm, or if I didn’t pick them up unless they wanted to be, but I remember that I handled them quite a bit. Their brooder was a crate and it was right next to my bed so i spent a lot of time with them and they saw me constantly for probably the first 2-3 weeks of their life. After that they got too messy with kicking bedding on my carpet and they moved to the garage, but I still spent a good amount of time with them.
From my old flock I remember that the buff orpingtons and my blue orpington rooster were the friendliest of the bunch. They loved my attention and would jump on my lap and practically purr under my touch. They were so sweet. The rest were comfortable enough to jump on my lap and shoulders but they didn’t enjoy petting or being held.
I am out of school for the summer so I want to devote all of my free time to raising cuddly chickens who will enjoy being held and pet. I know a huge part of that is just the individual chicken and their personality, but I want to try to teach them to love me as much as possible. Does anyone have any tips?
Unfortunately I can’t keep them in my room anymore but I’m sure that would help. They are in a large dog crate, in a shed outside. I’ve heard it helps to have a side opening door instead of a lid so you don’t seem like an aerial predator.
First all I did was put my hand in there and sneakily pet them with one finger while they weren’t paying attention. They got very used to my hand being close to them but as soon as they felt my touch they made an alarmed chirp and moved out of my reach. They also jumped on my lap very comfortably. I liked that they weren't scared of my hand anymore but I was skeptical that I would ever be able to hold and pet them if I did everything on their terms. They wouldn’t ever walk into my hand and choose to be held and pet.
So then I tried a different technique, which was forcing my love on them. As fast as possible so that I don’t stress them out by chasing them around the cage, I take turns picking each of them up, put them on my lap, and pet them until they fall asleep in my hand. Then I open my hand so they can choose to leave calmly without thinking that they have “escaped” my grasp. Sometimes they stay asleep for a while after I release my hold. Most of them will fall asleep if I pet them the right way, but about 3 just don’t like petting and their screams are ear piercingly loud. I haven’t been letting them go until they stop struggling but that just seems wrong when they scream like that.
After trying the second technique, they still jump on my knees without hesitation but now they freak out when I put my hand in their cage because they think I’m going to grab them. I hope I haven’t ruined any chances I had.
I spend at least an hour with them each day, and i’ve tried hand feeding them but they aren’t interested. I even caught some tiny millipedes to feed them but they wouldn’t eat those out of my hand either. They went crazy for them on the ground but they just watched them crawling around on my hand and then lost interest.
What should I do? I chose friendly breeds, tried to get them as young as possible, and I spend as much time with them as I can. They’re still so scared though. Should I keep forcing them to be held and pet in hopes that they’ll grow to enjoy it, or should I only pick them up when they want to be? I don’t think they’ll ever want to be picked up.
Sorry this ended up being so long and thank you so much for reading this far!
