Helping them get to know me - scent??

[ConvertedFarmGirl]

I recently got some pullets (exciting right??) and unfortunately I feel like I’m missing out on them so much already
To clarify, I got them on the 24th and the day I got them, I held them nonstop in their box which made them seem to love me
But my schedule with work is having me work all through out the day and I get home when they’re eating or sleeping and I usually hold them all at one so they sleep next to me (huddled in my elbow crook or even burrowing under my chest on a pillow ) but I want to make sure they don’t forget me and have some more “bonding time” even when I’m not there.

This sounds kind of dumb, but I know that for dogs and cats you can give them a shirt or something with your scent on it and they’ll sort of bond with you so I was wondering if I could do the same with my little lovelies? I was also thinking of making something out of an apron where I can plop one or two in with bedding and a heating pad wrapped up so it doesn’t get them too hot so that I can carry them with me or just hold them in while keeping my hands free?

Any advice would be amazing! And don’t worry, I’m not substituting these with good old fashioned holding, I still do it in the morning when I have time and at night if they’re not too tired

 

[ATeacherChick]

As a fairly typical bird, chickens are more visual/auditory than many mammal species (like puppies, etc). Their sense of smell is comparable to a humans, and like us they tend to use their eye sight or hearing, which are stronger senses. Having a little song you sing to them every time you visit them, etc. will be stronger than smell. A mother hen's soft clucks are a constant communication to her chicks.