How can I get my baby chicks to eat out of my hand?

[Barbeque]

Some will peck at it a little, but not much. I want them to wanna eat out of my hand. Scrambled eggs kinda work, but they drop it everywhere, it's kind of messy.

 

[chocolate m'scovy]

Just be patient. Hold yummy things in your hand and they will think of you as a benefactor.

 

[Iluvmypeeps]

Here's an idea for something that my chicks can't resist. Grab a bowl, and fill it with some start n' grow chicken feed (one tablespoon per bird should do it) and pour a very small amount of water in the food. You have to be careful with the water, too much can make the mush too slimy. Just very gently stir it all together, and you should have an irresistable mush to feed your chickens. You can put a small amount in your hand, they will pick it right out.

I hope this helps you some!

 

[chocolate m'scovy]

Dangle long pieces of pasta in front of them. They love it!!

 

[HathawayHens]

try a little bit of oatmeal when they are old enough, or a few worms in you hand. just sit really still and at least one of them will be brave and try it... then the rest follow suit!

 

[reallynewatthis]

What seemed to work for me today (and my chicks have been terrified of my hand coming into the brooder)...I had tried just sticking my hand in the brooder with scrambled egg on it, but they all just ran away from my hand and never figured out I had food on it. So, I picked up each chick for a couple of minutes and just sat with each one in my lap, talking quietly and petting it. I also tried to get them to take scrambled eggs from me while I was holding them, but they would have nothing to do with it. After I'd held each chick, I put my hand in the brooder with a bunch of scrambled egg. It only took a minute or two before the bravest of the chickies decided that the egg was quite tasty. After a couple of handfuls of scrambled egg, all but one were pulling bits of scrambled egg out of my hand, and at two or three of the five hopped up on to my hand briefly to check things out.

I'm going to do this every day for the next week or so, until they get more used to my hands and me handling them. Just today was big progress!!

 

[Manda0227]

Quote:
ALL of mine go CRAZY for this!! It works, whenever they see me coming with it- they go beserk!