Holding and petting my girls

[LizThumm]

Well my girls as babies loved to be held. Almost a year now and the run if I go to touch them. They come at the sound of my voice, gather at my feet but won’t let me pet or pick them up. Tonight we had to clip my little Daisy’s wings because she kept escaping and after two of the three being attacked by neighbors dogs, I didn’t want to chance her getting killed this time. The other two do not fly over fence. Anyway, I know I stressed her trying to catch her but once caught she just seemed so content being talked to and petted. How do I get the three of them used to this all the time so I don’t stress them if I have to pick them up?

 

[Corbdee]

Well my girls as babies loved to be held. Almost a year now and the run if I go to touch them. They come at the sound of my voice, gather at my feet but won’t let me pet or pick them up. Tonight we had to clip my little Daisy’s wings because she kept escaping and after two of the three being attacked by neighbors dogs, I didn’t want to chance her getting killed this time. The other two do not fly over fence. Anyway, I know I stressed her trying to catch her but once caught she just seemed so content being talked to and petted. How do I get the three of them used to this all the time so I don’t stress them if I have to pick them up?

Sometimes using a long net could work as an alternate

 

[theoldchick]

Though we want our chickens to love us as much as we love them we must remember they are not truly a pet. Yes, there are individuals who will seek out human interaction but most chickens are, well, chicken! Just like teenagers, your flock has matured and are ready to leave the coop, pen, pasture, yard and do their own thing. While your flock may no longer like to be petted (not a natural behavior if you think about it), you can still enjoy watching them doing behavior that is natural for them such a foraging or taking a dirt bath. You might be able to modify the behavior with food but learn to respect their need to be a chicken.

 

[LizThumm]

Though we want our chickens to love us as much as we love them we must remember they are not truly a pet. Yes, there are individuals who will seek out human interaction but most chickens are, well, chicken! Just like teenagers, your flock has matured and are ready to leave the coop, pen, pasture, yard and do their own thing. While your flock may no longer like to be petted (not a natural behavior if you think about it), you can still enjoy watching them doing behavior that is natural for them such a foraging or taking a dirt bath. You might be able to modify the behavior with food but learn to respect their need to be a chicken.

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I love sitting and just watching them but I do know there are times they have to be picked up for medical reasons ect which is why I’d just love for them to get used to my touch I know they will never be like my dog. I know birds stress easy and I hate that. I also know over my husband and brother in law they love me lol maybe because I’m the one that raised them. Just looking to see about ways to get them used to my touch again. Especially since the one needs her wing clipped now.

 

[3KillerBs]

Many people do the necessary handling for wing-clipping, medical issues, etc. by taking them off the roosts at night.

Because chickens are prey animals who do not interact with each other by picking each other up and petting, they connect being picked up with being killed and eaten -- unlike our predator pets whose instincts tell them that if we hurt them they can hurt us back.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Since they'll come to you and gather around you they're pretty tame, so that helps a lot. Most chickens don't want to be handled but can at least learn to tolerate it - if you crouch down and approach/reach out slowly it's less threatening to them and I can grab most of my birds that way. Once I snag a bird I just get a good tight hold, pick them up, do what I need to do as quickly as I can (ignoring their protests) and then they're good to go.

 

[Boogiemaam]

I know this is late, but I had the same experience and found that if I let them fly up onto my lap, they let me cuddle them and cradle them. They are obsessed with me but HATE getting picked up. They just jump on my lap when I sit in a certain chair by my back door or in the living room. They never try this when we are outside. They complain if I attempt to "hold" them any other way but letting them hop up and scooting them with open arms closer and cradle and stroke them. Its friggin' adorable.

 

[charlotte-and-the-bees]

Well my girls as babies loved to be held. Almost a year now and the run if I go to touch them. They come at the sound of my voice, gather at my feet but won’t let me pet or pick them up. Tonight we had to clip my little Daisy’s wings because she kept escaping and after two of the three being attacked by neighbors dogs, I didn’t want to chance her getting killed this time. The other two do not fly over fence. Anyway, I know I stressed her trying to catch her but once caught she just seemed so content being talked to and petted. How do I get the three of them used to this all the time so I don’t stress them if I have to pick them up?

Chasing them is definitely stressful, usually I’ll try to do any meds or unfun things once they’re roosting so there’s no chasing involved. I spent a lot of time hanging around my girls too, so they’ll often jump up into my lap on their own. Even the flighty ones have their moments of wanting to hang. I take those opportunities to do light physicals on them too.

 

[Mrs. K]

Try this, with a piece of left over chicken wire, make a cylinder that is taller than they are, about 24 inch diameter. With a wire or something else, wire handle at the top of the cylinder. Then when they gather at your feet, you just drop this down on the bird you want.

Now, granted, I have never tried this, but this was recommended on this website, and I think I will try it. I think it would work well. I will report back.

I seldom catch my birds, I never doctor them. I just like to watch them. If I have to catch them, I use a chicken hook, which is a lot of excitement I will admit.

Mrs K