How do you get your chickens to be friendlier?

[Ladyhawke1]

I think mine are going through their “terrible teens” right now.

They were OK with me handling them and now it’s eeeekkkkkk…she’s comin' at us.

So, I turn my back to leave and the runt Australorp jumps on my shoulder. Or if I sit down in my camp chair there are suddenly three big butts sitting in my lap with a fourth ....Jersey Giant eyeing my lap for the next jump on.

I am so confused.

 

[astylishgirl]

Mine hate being picked up too. I would really like to have one that sits in my lap. On the other hand, I HATE how much I already love these little guys. I know that the way things are that one is going to get eaten by a predator or something and it is just going to be killing me.

 

[Chicken Ninja]

Maybe it's because I have a smaller flock, but all of my chickens are especially friendly and nice.

I have had them all since a day old, and have handled them daily, so they are all very used to human contact. Their are, however, ones that are more friendly then others. All of them will let me pick them up, and they all will sit down in my lap and just be content.

The dominant one is one of the more friendly ones. She will run up, and jump onto me, and then either perch on my arm or settle in my lap. The SLW's seem to be the most friendly, though. If I hold my hand out, both of them will jump up on it, then either perch on my arm or lap. Sometimes, the other chickens get jealous of each other, and will literally fly up on top of which ever one I am holding.

What's worst, or best as far as friendliness, is that both of my SLW's will attempt to get up on my shoulders when I'm sitting down. It only hurts when they try to scratch their way up my arm though

 

[Whirlwind]

one word TREATS they are suckers for them. However mine will trip me all under my feet when I have treats . I can pick them up but I dont really think they like it.

 

[ChooksChick]

I might be repeating what someone else has said, but I didn't read everything...

Every one of our chickens is a lap dog. All 20.

They were brooded inside with lots of handling until 7 weeks and then went outside, different batches, all integrated.

I would say that the reason is that when we handle them, we sit out there for a while, in one place- on the steps, in a chair, bench, setee...etc.

Even the Buttercups come over, curious, and wanting to be touched. It takes longer if we haven't been spending a lot of time with them of late, but they come, and will fight over lap space.

Grapes and other treats would help, but frankly, if you have this habit and do it frequently, you can walk right up to them and pick them up.

I love my chickens!! Hug 'em and squeeze 'em and give them kisses!!

 

[sis_cin]

about half of my 10 baby girls dont get their feathers ruffled when i pick them up, i usually sit down and a couple jump up in my lap and love me to stroke their necks and gullets, they are not so crazy about getting their backs or wings stroked. a couple of them dont want to be picked up at all and make a hasty escape when i go into the run. i think its all personality since these have been together since birth and were treated the same, we handled them since they were 3 days old. i think most chickens instinct just kicks in and they want to be loose, i have golden comets.

 

[DDRanch]

Don't chase them, and don't grab them...or allow anyone else to do so either. Move slowly, give lots of treats, and be patient. I have noticed that some breeds, my Delawares in particular expect to be picked up and cuddled and enjoy it more than others. My old girl buff will sit next to me for hours, but scoot off if I attempt to pet her.

 

[Critter Crazed]

This is a good thread. We need to keep it going!

I have 9 silkie chicks and 1 unknown. They are 2 and a half weeks old. The silkies all run from me like I'm the boogey man. It hurts.

You spend all that time caring for them and being the mommy and they hate you. I've been searching for a way to make them trust me but I just don't know. My 1 unknown chick, might be a frizzle or something, loves to be petted and held and comes running to my hand when I stick it in the brooder.

The rest run and huddle in a corner. I try to pet one and they run away. I pick one up and it tries like MAD to fly out of my grasp. Except for the unknown breed.

I've been trying to hold them since they hatched. I hatched them myself..

It's just so frusterating!

My new plan is this:

I got them addicted to yogurt. Then I mixed some chick starter in with the yogurt so I wouldn't over-treat them. They loved it! So I fed that to them. I put a little bit on my finger and I stick my finger in the box. At first they all ran away.

:
Then one ate some yogurt.. then another.. and another. Soon they all loved chick-yogurt. So I stopped feeding them when they were in the box. I pick them up and let them roost on my hand. (while they are still in the box and can fly down at any moment. Just so high up that the chicks in the box, not on my hand, can't eat any yogurt off my other hand) They all make a fuss when I pick them up and put them on my hand except for the unknown breed chick. Only one or two will happily sit on my hand and eat the yogurt.. I'm hoping the others will warm up to my hands if I keep doing this.

Hopefully it works.... I think it is... It should anyways. Unless they are just stupid chickens. Wouldn't you want to be picked up if you got yummy treats?!

 

[Chickens in Elmwood]

So, I have read that roosters who are handled a lot when they are little become more aggressive...now I read that you have to hold and handle a rooster a lot when it is little so it won't be aggressive. What's up with that?

Muffin, my roo, is not aggressive, but he does NOT want to be picked up and hops like a frog if you try. Since he is not already aggressive, should I try to pick him up or not?

And another question, completely OT, how is it that my WL can find the yuckiest stuff to roll around in???

 

[new4eggs]

just got my first batch of chickens today and have gave plenty of food and water. Is it ok to pick them up and take them from the heat lap and hold in hand for awhile or will they get cold this way! Help a novice out on what I can and can't do? I also have a 4 year old who wants to hold them is this ok and to what extreme should gets handle?