How do you raise tame chickens?

[HeidiO]

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

 

[nuthatched]

Don't sweep down and pick it up as a chick so it learns to fear hands and you. Do a lot of sitting with them.

 

[HeidiO]

I have 2 that are two weeks old and just added 4 newly hatched. They are in a brooder tub. Should I put them down on the floor in my house? Will they run away from me?

 

[nuthatched]

I have 2 that are two weeks old and just added 4 newly hatched. They are in a brooder tub. Should I put them down on the floor in my house? Will they run away from me?

Get a brooder that they can see you coming, put the brooder on a table so you don't lean down to catch them. They'll poop on everything if they're loose, eat wrong things and get stuck and cold.

 

[Chickenman623]

If your container or containment area is large enough, get in it and sit down and just play with them. Handle them...........but not for long individually. Play with them all. Let them walk all over your legs. Get them used to your presence. I used to take a book and sit and read in between play times. If the container isn't large enough to do that, put you hands in the container in an area the furthest from the group of chicks and just let them get used to seeing your hands. Then you can move over and pick them up. Talk a lot so they get used to your voice.

13 years ago I had 24 hens. I could walk in the pen and reach down and pick up any one of them. Came in real handy when it was time to clip their flight feathers or treat them if they had some kind of ailment. When I'd let them out in the yard, I'd sit and rock in my swing up on the porch. Almost always had one or two that would hop up into the swing with me. If I was on my knees in their run repairing something, most likely one would hop up on my back. The whole thing is to get them used to you when they are chicks and really have no place to run.

Hope that helps HeidiO.

 

[Nicci0110]

I am new to all of this but I have 6 Rhode Island Reds who are about 10 weeks now. I raised them inside for 8 weeks. It was messy but so rewarding and 4 out of 6 genuinely love me. The other 2 tolerate me LOL. I have one who loves to sprawl out in my lap and stretch her legs out. Her name is Geraldine. The only one I am SURE is a Rooster also loves me. After moving them to their coop, I still visit with them every day and pick them up and talk to them. I hand feed them treats. I considered keeping one in the house forever but decided it wouldn't be fair to her so she will just come in for visits once I finish raising the 7 new babies I have. I am being extra careful and washing my hands a lot to avoid taking my older babies any sicknesses these new ones may have and do not want to bring her in again until the new ones are out. Like I said I do not have a lot of experience but my husband is amazed with how much these chickens love me

 

[Ridgeback825]

We have found that hatching our own has been the biggest help. I also use a paper plate to feed them several times a day. This let them know that the hand brings the food. I also tap with my finger like a mama hen would to help them learn. It's more about time and patience over the long haul to earn that trust.

 

[JoanieShrubs]

Sit quietly with them and hand feed them a few mealworms. Lure, don’t pursue. Mine were all super friendly from day 1 but my kids started chasing them as pullets to herd them into the coop and now they’re fearful. I even saw one kid grab one by the tail, she won’t be doing that again! Chasing has been banned as we rebuild their trust. They are prey animals, their prey instinct needs to be overridden with care.

 

[ChicFil- A]

If your container or containment area is large enough, get in it and sit down and just play with them. Handle them...........but not for long individually. Play with them all. Let them walk all over your legs. Get them used to your presence. I used to take a book and sit and read in between play times. If the container isn't large enough to do that, put you hands in the container in an area the furthest from the group of chicks and just let them get used to seeing your hands. Then you can move over and pick them up. Talk a lot so they get used to your voice.

13 years ago I had 24 hens. I could walk in the pen and reach down and pick up any one of them. Came in real handy when it was time to clip their flight feathers or treat them if they had some kind of ailment. When I'd let them out in the yard, I'd sit and rock in my swing up on the porch. Almost always had one or two that would hop up into the swing with me. If I was on my knees in their run repairing something, most likely one would hop up on my back. The whole thing is to get them used to you when they are chicks and really have no place to run.

Hope that helps HeidiO.

Great advice from HeidiO
I set with my chickens every time I go to the coop they are very tame, But my daughter was going through a breakup and would cry and talk to them and sung and pray at there so they really love her and readily get on her lap.
Just handle them and respect them and they will be good hens.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

I let my chicks out to play with me after a week they will jump on my hand to come out and cuddle up to me my chicks I raised last year in the same way as I just wrote let me pick them up and they sit on my lap by choice also one let's me rock her and she likes it when I let go she stays on!!