How do I train my chickens to be ok with being caught/picked up during the day?

[CurvyCoop]

I have 6 lovely hens and one accidental roo (but I love him all the same). I've had them for about 2 months now. I know that you can wait until dusk to grab a chicken to check it for anything, but I want to know how to train them to be okay with it during the day. Both for health and safety reasons, but also because I want to be able to grab my chooks without it being so stressful for them.

They are already quite relaxed around me in general. They will come up to see if I have food and they greet me when they see me. They also come RUNNING when I use my special treat call. They have NO problem eating treats from my hand and a few of them I can even lure up to my lap with treats this way. But all of them freak out at being grabbed.
Once they are held it's fine and I try to give them all regular lap time. They wriggle a bit the first 30 seconds or so but then they settle and are quite content to be pet. I think it's mostly me reaching for them and the initial contact that freaks them out.

How can I train them to be ok with me reaching for them?

 

[Yardmom]

Due to being prey animals Chickens do not naturally want to be picked up. Each children has its own personality, so not all will respond the same to being handled. What you have been doing to get them on your lap is helping them know you are safe. Keep going slowly and over time some might become comfortable with being picked up.

 

[3KillerBs]

But all of them freak out at being grabbed.

This is normal for a prey animal.

Some of mine will tolerate being petted if they're up on something and I walk past but even the most docile birds don't like it when I reach down and take hold of them.

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

I agree with what others have said about some chickens being more agreeable to being picked up. But I have also noticed that the chicks go through phases much like some of our lambs and calves will. They are very open to all the cuddles and then start shying away. Eventually, as they mature, they will come back around.

This..
I too was worried bc my chickens didn't seem to want me to touch them!! Most are all reaching POL and the other night actually came up to me for cuddles before bed...

They literally would stand in front of me, I bent down..picked them up..scratched their little neckies...and off they went...(even a flighty EE I have...(though she was last) came up to me and allowed me to pick her up and love on her)

When I set them down ..they went in the coop for the night...

 

[Mrs. K]

Rooster chicks appear to be friendly and cuddly...but they are not like puppies or kittens. And people new to chickens often times misinterpret rooster behavior. They see a rooster approaching you without fear, as a good thing. 'He likes me!" That is not the case.

Chicken society is based on a pecking order and when two chickens meet, one is below and one is above. Cockerels being raised in a flock mate society are often much bigger much sooner than the pullets. They become bullies, nothing is bigger than THEM, and nothing dares to thump him back.

Often times the darling becomes the nightmare. He is not afraid of you, so you must be made afraid of him, and he will attack to make it so. A good rooster gives me 6 feet of space, naturally. I would not keep a rooster that would approach me. It is experience I have had over decades of chickens.

If you read on this forum, you will find numerous stories where the darling becomes the nightmare. These are not people who mistreated or teased or handled his hens. These almost always are confident chicks that appeared to love people and one moment became incredibly aggressive.

Which I realize you did not ask for advice at all.

What you asked was how did I train the hens to jump in my lap. I went to the run with a book, and sat there, did not talk, did not pet, did not reach for them. I dropped scratch when I left. Next day same game, but I threw the scratch away from me, and sat until they had ate it all. Third day, same game, toss the scratch a little closer to me. Next day, but this time, they are approaching me, BUT DON't reach for them. Just sit quietly, and after a few moments when they start to leave you, drop the scratch at your feet.

Do not ever try and catch them. Just sit and watch or read. Eventually one will jump in your lap. Some do so readily, some never do so, depends on the bird.

I would NOT DO THIS with a cockerel in the flock. IF you have small children be doubly aware of the cockerel, they tend to attack children first, then women, then men. Inexperienced people often times vastly underestimates the violence of a cockerel.

MrsK

 

[rosemarythyme]

Probably can't get an entire flock to accept it, but I have some birds that are simply more accepting of being touched or picked up. I do encourage the girls to squat for me, partially because that makes some of them easier to grab. Out of 10 birds I have 1 that I can simply scoop up one handed with no resistance, and 4 others that will hold still if I go to pick them up (but I need both hands). Really isn't any trick to training them to accept it, I regularly try to touch them and either they tolerate it or they don't.

 

[Vicker]

I agree with what others have said about some chickens being more agreeable to being picked up. But I have also noticed that the chicks go through phases much like some of our lambs and calves will. They are very open to all the cuddles and then start shying away. Eventually, as they mature, they will come back around.

 

[Mrs. K]

I have never tried this, but thought it might be a good idea? A poster on here, made a circle of chicken wire, about 30 inches high, and about 20 inches across. She claimed she could just drop it over the the bird, and then reach down and pick them up.

I never catch mine, they don't like it. Some people on here have more pets. I have trained mine to approach me, and jump up on my lap at their choice, but found I really didn't like it. I just like to watch mine.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

I recommend that you read Shadrach’s article about roosters. There’s A LOT of great information about how roosters work in the flock.

 

[SueT]

Most of my chickens do not want to be picked up, but there are 2 that tolerate it. Yet even those 2 try to evade me if I reach for them. I have to bribe them. It is much easier to entice a chicken to jump onto your lap. In time, you may have a whole lap full of chickens.