How do you get your chicks to grow up to be lap chickens?!

[Farmgirl283420]

So I raised six girls last year all are lap chickens and I just got three chicks who are two weeks old at first they were very scared of my hand when I put it in the brooder and so on after a few days of hanging out with them they eat from my hand aren’t scared of it and when I take them out cuddle with me perch on me everywhere and hang out with me I’m super happy with how they are starting to like me but any advice will be helpful!!!

 

[AmyA248]

Hi!
I want to do the same thing! I have 3 week old chick and we have their brooder box right in the kitchen so they get used to hearing and seeing us all the time. Unfortunately they are still so fearful.
I talk to them, hold them, pet them and they are not warming up to us.

We started at 2 days old and there is no chance in their behavior.
They just poop all over us and try to run away. It’s very disheartening to say the least.

We love them and want them to be tame and friendly but I must be doing something wrong..
Are you doing the same things we’re doing? And yours are not warming up either?

I look forward to hearing back from you!

Kindly,
Amy

 

[CaliforniaMountainChicks]

When raising my chicks, I don’t hold them or pet them at first. Instead I hang around them and let them come to me. I’ll put my hand in their brooder with treats first and let them come onto my hand and get more comfortable with me. Eventually I’ll just put my hand in the brooder without treats and let them come up onto my hand on their own and then I’ll lift my hand up with them in it (not grasping onto them). I’ll also let them out for a bit and let them crawl on me like I’m their jungle gym lol. This makes them comfortable with going on your lap. In this photo I still didn’t really start holding or petting the chicks much, yet they felt comfortable with me. It was summer here so I had them in a separate area in the run away from the hens that I could sit in. I started picking up the chicks and petting them when they became 100% comfortable with me. I slowly started to pet them when they’d come sit on me. I only pick them up from the front and not from above. Picking up the chicks from above scares them. Working slowly like this has made them the absolute sweetest hens who love being carried, pet, and who love to just hang out on my lap. They became especially affectionate when they got to laying age.

Zoe, who I raised this way, just jumped into my hand on her own and sat there lol.

 

[AmyA248]

When raising my chicks, I don’t hold them or pet them at first. Instead I hang around them and let them come to me. I’ll put my hand in their brooder with treats first and let them come onto my hand and get more comfortable with me. Eventually I’ll just put my hand in the brooder without treats and let them come up onto my hand on their own and then I’ll lift my hand up with them in it (not grasping onto them). I’ll also let them out for a bit and let them crawl on me like I’m their jungle gym lol. This makes them comfortable with going on your lap. In this photo I still didn’t really start holding or petting the chicks much, yet they felt comfortable with me. It was summer here so I had them in a separate area in the run away from the hens that I could sit in. I started picking up the chicks and petting them when they became 100% comfortable with me. I slowly started to pet them when they’d come sit on me. I only pick them up from the front and not from above. Picking up the chicks from above scares them. Working slowly like this has made them the absolute sweetest hens who love being carried, pet, and who love to just hang out on my lap. They became especially affectionate when they got to laying age.
View attachment 3418972

Zoe, who I raised this way, just jumped into my hand on her own and sat there lol.
View attachment 3418980

Thank you so very much for your advice!
I honestly don’t know what I’m doing yet, as I’ve only had ducks until now.
We have a playpen and just sit quietly with them and let them come to us as well as holding them.
We sit by their brooder box and talk to them and pet them but they still run away.
My little girls are getting sad but I’ve explained that they are still babies and need time.
I’m going to take your advice and do what you’re doing.
I really appreciate your getting back to me and sharing your pictures.
Here are our little ones

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Hi!
I want to do the same thing! I have 3 week old chick and we have their brooder box right in the kitchen so they get used to hearing and seeing us all the time. Unfortunately they are still so fearful.
I talk to them, hold them, pet them and they are not warming up to us.

We started at 2 days old and there is no chance in their behavior.
They just poop all over us and try to run away. It’s very disheartening to say the least.

We love them and want them to be tame and friendly but I must be doing something wrong..
Are you doing the same things we’re doing? And yours are not warming up either?

I look forward to hearing back from you!

Kindly,
Amy

Oh no ours are warming up wonderfully they already jump up on me by choice and it’s only been three days so I’m not worried I’m so sorry do you play with them we have a tarp and I take them all out let them run around all though they mostly cuddle on me!! How do you pick them up and what do you do when you hold them?

 

[Farmgirl283420]

When raising my chicks, I don’t hold them or pet them at first. Instead I hang around them and let them come to me. I’ll put my hand in their brooder with treats first and let them come onto my hand and get more comfortable with me. Eventually I’ll just put my hand in the brooder without treats and let them come up onto my hand on their own and then I’ll lift my hand up with them in it (not grasping onto them). I’ll also let them out for a bit and let them crawl on me like I’m their jungle gym lol. This makes them comfortable with going on your lap. In this photo I still didn’t really start holding or petting the chicks much, yet they felt comfortable with me. It was summer here so I had them in a separate area in the run away from the hens that I could sit in. I started picking up the chicks and petting them when they became 100% comfortable with me. I slowly started to pet them when they’d come sit on me. I only pick them up from the front and not from above. Picking up the chicks from above scares them. Working slowly like this has made them the absolute sweetest hens who love being carried, pet, and who love to just hang out on my lap. They became especially affectionate when they got to laying age.
View attachment 3418972

Zoe, who I raised this way, just jumped into my hand on her own and sat there lol.
View attachment 3418980

I like to do the same too my chicks from last year would scream until I took them out and would stand on my hand until I took it out they still love to cuddle I love them so much and before you responded had a great cuddle with my new chicks who already love to perch on me from my shoulders to my foot!!!

 

[Farmgirl283420]

 

[Farmgirl283420]

View attachment 3419019

Those are my girls Amelia violet and Natasha who we nicknamed Nat Nat my other girls who are a year old names are Blossom Jessie Lily Marigold Hope And Daffodil who we nicknamed Daffy!!

 

[HenSolo123]

View attachment 3419019

Can I ask what everyone does about them pooping all over you?! My 4 week olds want to perch me, but I don’t want to change every time I want to say hi to them

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Can I ask what everyone does about them pooping all over you?! My 4 week olds want to perch me, but I don’t want to change every time I want to say hi to them

Hahaha I know it’s hard I like to scrub my pant very good with baby wipes so it’s pretty clean though I do change if they poop a lot on me!! Usually they will put up their wings before they poop so use this warning to catch the poop with whatever you want to use!!!