How do you raise tame chickens?

[Nicci0110]

Geraldine is my lap buddy

 

[Chickenman623]

I'm a "Whisperer" when it come to training. I've trained Dogs, Horses, Donkeys,Parrots, Cockatiels, Parakeets, Llamas and was pretty darned effective at taming and handling the chickens I had back 12 years ago. So I've been using the same methods with these present chicks. I've 7 chicks at this point. I've a Black Astrolorp that prefers to jump into my palm when I put it in the box...........and if I'm rubbing the breast of one of my Speckled Sussex,. she'll come up and push me away and commandeer my palm. It's funny to watch. I've been making good strides with this batch of chicks..................................well, except for my two Buff Orpingtons. If I try and even gently touch them they are off in a flash. If I pick one of them up, I can tell the sound of the screeching and squawking is from sheer terror. The last emotion I want to instill. I've never had Buffs before but was told they are very tractable and easy to make good pets out of. So I don't get this attitude.............and they BOTH have it. Any thoughts?

 

[Barredrockmama1]

How do you raise a tame chick that will let you pick it up when it’s an adult?

Growing up my dad always told me as long as they are handled and hand fed at a young age then they will grow up to be loving chickens... While my barred rocks were chicks, my kids and I handled them alot we even held them until they would fall asleep in our hands and before trying to pick them up we always hand fed them first, making sure to support their feet while holding them so that aren't afraid. Most of my girls love it when I hold them and will even perch on my shoulder when I'm cleaning their run out. Only a couple run off and won't let me pick them up without a chase, but with 10 chicks that all looked the same, it was hard to tell which ones were handled alot and which ones weren't. I have one I'm certain wasn't handled too much, she's scared of everything, and thus earned the nick name spaz.

 

[Chickenman623]

Yup, I know what you mean. I handle them 3 times a day..........maybe not all of them because they way they run around it's hard to keep track of theml My flock from "back then" would jump on my back if I were to bend down repairing the door to their coop or something. Had one who was quite content to let Me tuck Her under my wing!!! But these two Buffs are just "don't touch me Nellies". They won't even eat feed out of my hand........but then there are only a couple that will. Maybe I need some kind of treat. Oh well, the process goes on. I love chickens. Did I mention that?

 

[mcdze]

its mainly a time thing .. there has to be time made to handle them at least twice a day in a way that doesnt surprise and frighten them .. food as a reward makes them associate being handled as a good thing ... i have very limited time to spend with them so the easiest way to get them used to me is control amount of food so i have to add it twice a day, soon theyll see me and the cup coming as a good thing, also right off the bat have a second pen to transfer them into while changing out the litter in the brooder, and also that second pen can be an outside pen with just a wire bottom if its warm, and they can be transfered into it daily, to save on brooder cleaning time and dust in the house etc .... always controlling food amount so they associate the transfer back and forth process with reward at the other end .. by a couple three weeks most of them will jump or fly to your hand and arm to be brought to the other pen .. the scaredy cats will eventually emulate the others if your patient .. so by working out a good routine it can solve multiple issues and get them tame in the process ... just never get frustrated and rush and chase one, they have excellent memory and wont forget that .. ever .. again, control amount of food makes life alot more simple in chicken town .. not saying starve them, just your the source, and they know it.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I'm a "Whisperer" when it come to training. I've trained Dogs, Horses, Donkeys,Parrots, Cockatiels, Parakeets, Llamas and was pretty darned effective at taming and handling the chickens I had back 12 years ago. So I've been using the same methods with these present chicks. I've 7 chicks at this point. I've a Black Astrolorp that prefers to jump into my palm when I put it in the box...........and if I'm rubbing the breast of one of my Speckled Sussex,. she'll come up and push me away and commandeer my palm. It's funny to watch. I've been making good strides with this batch of chicks..................................well, except for my two Buff Orpingtons. If I try and even gently touch them they are off in a flash. If I pick one of them up, I can tell the sound of the screeching and squawking is from sheer terror. The last emotion I want to instill. I've never had Buffs before but was told they are very tractable and easy to make good pets out of. So I don't get this attitude.............and they BOTH have it. Any thoughts?

Not sure my Buffs always jumped on my hand to come out and are now lap chickens one loves to be rocked so I'm not sure?

 

[Farmgirl283420]

My chicks are so big now all love being handled they cuddle under my arm or sit on me my little nine week old cocks like to cuddle along with my nine week old pullet I have a few shoulder chickens and the silkies also like being handled not sure why I always get so stressed it turned out great after a week!!

 

[Chickenman623]

Well, that's my goal, Farmgirl. I've tried apple scraps and small chips of cabbage but no-one seems to like "leftovers"!

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Well, that's my goal, Farmgirl. I've tried apple scraps and small chips of cabbage but no-one seems to like "leftovers"!

My girls always loved a bit of oatmeal not cooked I only give my grown chickens oatmeal cooked! Again I only give them a little bit! I tried lettuce but they always spit it out!!!!

 

[Chickenman623]

Uncooked oatmeal huh? I'll give that a try when I go out the evening. I built them a box twice as large and twice as deep as their original one. I wasn't so concerned they'd get too crowded but concerned they keep eyeing the sky and a couple have grown large enough that their flapping attempts have gained them about 90% of the elevation they need to escape. I'll rest moire easily now. Thanks again for the oatmeal tip.