How Do You Hold Your Chickens

[Egghead_Jr]

It depends what I'm doing with them. To just pick them up and walk with them to move into cage or coop I hold them like a football, pinning wings with my arm and body.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I hold normal but I once saw an old timer at the Frederick County Fair in MD reach in and pull a bird out of its cage with 1 hand. He grabbed it from behind and appeared to have its wings pinned to its sides in front of the thighs but somehow had back pressure on the thighs because the bird kept its kegs legs straight without a struggle. Like he grabbed it in the saddle so to speak. Bird was completely immobilized.

I have tried this technique just to see if i could do it. I have big hands but haven't figured it out yet.

Anyone else do this? Seen it? How?

 

[aart]

I hold normal but I once saw an old timer at the Frederick County Fair in MD reach in and pull a bird out of its cage with 1 hand. He grabbed it from behind and appeared to have its wings pinned to its sides in front of the thighs but somehow had back pressure on the thighs because the bird kept its kegs legs straight without a struggle. Like he grabbed it in the saddle so to speak. Bird was completely immobilized.

I have tried this technique just to see if i could do it. I have big hands but haven't figured it out yet.

Anyone else do this? Seen it? How?

Was it a full sized bird?
Was his hand on top of the bird or underneath?

 

[Henry&Friends]

Pin their wings to their bodies in front of me, or sometimes I hug & carry

 

[rosemarythyme]

It depends what I'm doing with them. To just pick them up and walk with them to move into cage or coop I hold them like a football, pinning wings with my arm and body.

Ah yes the "football." I have a hard time getting my hands around them well enough, but football-ing usually works for me for a short distance jaunt.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

I always use two hands no matter how I'm carrying my girls.

 

[aart]

I always use two hands no matter how I'm carrying my girls.

Then how do you open the door?

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

Use normal most often. Use 4-H for showing and when I need to hold multiple birds. Upside down is for broilers who are going to the butcher.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Then how do you open the door?

That's why we have elbows and feet!

 

[aart]

That's why we have elbows and feet!

Might work most the time, except for those pesky gate latches...
....but footballin' is the way to go long.