How do you Raise your Chickens?

[CalBickieMomma]

Hello Chicken People!

Recently, my mom's friend was visiting and I had just acquired two young chicks. She expressed interest in getting chickens once she moved to her new location, and as I had my babies out with me, I had the thought to inform her that most people don't go to the lengths I do when it comes to raising chicks. So, that made me curious ...

How, exactly do YOU raise your chicks? This is not a post to cast judgment, I'm just genuinely curious. I always tell people I spend an 'unnatural amount of time' with my chickens, but I can't possibly be the only one.

From day one, I'm interacting with / talking to (in human and chicken language) / holding my babies. They all get names and I even have a 'hot pocket' (basically a small fleece-lined pillow case) I put them in so I can have them on my lap and they'll stay warm. I know the meaning of all their different sounds (happy cheeps, 'I'm cold and need warm snuggles' cheeps, surprised/concerned about something scary cheeps, and 'I want out with mama!' cheeps. I also know the difference between the two purr or grrr sounds they make - either content or annoyed/unsure about something (all depending on body language).

Most of my chickens, when they reach adulthood, are lap chickens. They will jump on my lap or arm or shoulder or back (my roo loves to hop onto my back when I'm leaning over and crow). Some of them have no boundaries (because they were overly coddled due to being sick and needing extra special attention when they were tiny). I understand their body language and their adult voices, too. And, despite what the CDC recommends, I do kiss and cuddle them (just as I would a dog or cat - I can't help myself!!!).

SO, how do you raise your babies? Maybe you raise them simply for food or to lay eggs and pretty much leave them to their own devices, or maybe you are even more 'extreme' than me . Anyone want to chime in?

 

[Isadora]

I'm pretty hands off when it comes to how I raise them. I talk/sing to them and may pick up/pet the more friendlier hens, but that's about it.

 

[snood dude]

Hello Chicken People!

Recently, my mom's friend was visiting and I had just acquired two young chicks. She expressed interest in getting chickens once she moved to her new location, and as I had my babies out with me, I had the thought to inform her that most people don't go to the lengths I do when it comes to raising chicks. So, that made me curious ...

How, exactly do YOU raise your chicks? This is not a post to cast judgment, I'm just genuinely curious. I always tell people I spend an 'unnatural amount of time' with my chickens, but I can't possibly be the only one.

From day one, I'm interacting with / talking to (in human and chicken language) / holding my babies. They all get names and I even have a 'hot pocket' (basically a small fleece-lined pillow case) I put them in so I can have them on my lap and they'll stay warm. I know the meaning of all their different sounds (happy cheeps, 'I'm cold and need warm snuggles' cheeps, surprised/concerned about something scary cheeps, and 'I want out with mama!' cheeps. I also know the difference between the two purr or grrr sounds they make - either content or annoyed/unsure about something (all depending on body language).

Most of my chickens, when they reach adulthood, are lap chickens. They will jump on my lap or arm or shoulder or back (my roo loves to hop onto my back when I'm leaning over and crow). Some of them have no boundaries (because they were overly coddled due to being sick and needing extra special attention when they were tiny). I understand their body language and their adult voices, too. And, despite what the CDC recommends, I do kiss and cuddle them (just as I would a dog or cat - I can't help myself!!!).

SO, how do you raise your babies? Maybe you raise them simply for food or to lay eggs and pretty much leave them to their own devices, or maybe you are even more 'extreme' than me . Anyone want to chime in?

I raise mine for eggs and ornamental purposes but they are my pets.

 

[Sablehaven]

I may be slightly more extreme than you

I do all of that, except my chick warmer is an apron I sewed by hand, despite that, they are usually in my shirt instead

I use a roofed puppy playpen so they can exercise safely from day 1, and of course I spend that time sitting with them <3

 

[CalBickieMomma]

I may be slightly more extreme than you

I do all of that, except my chick warmer is an apron I sewed by hand, despite that, they are usually in my shirt instead

I use a roofed puppy playpen so they can exercise safely from day 1, and of course I spend that time sitting with them <3

Awwwww!! Mine aren't free range (as much as I'd love to, my dogs would kill them or I'm sure some outside threat would manage to harm them), but they have a pretty big coop and run, with an extra perch and anything I can add in there for them. It's also Fort Knox - hardware cloth buried a foot deep and covering the entire top of the run. I have corrugated metal buried around the interior perimeter of their coop (it's built on sand and the large door is pretty much ALWAYS open to the run - unless an extreme storm is expected - very rare since I live on the California coast). I go in there at least once a day and have special chicken coop clothes and a beach chair AND a chicken blanket I put on my lap for the days I just sit and read my book while they sit on me . They love blankets, by the way. Anytime I leave it on the chair or drape it over their perch in the coop, someone gets up there to scratch at it or just sit on it .

 

[Cecisflock]

How, exactly do YOU raise your chicks?

I cuddle them too and they are in a dog crate in my basement while they are babies so I can always be around them (my workshop is in my basement and so is my cat so I spend a lot of time there.

 

[neo71665]

I'm pretty hands off when it comes to how I raise them. I talk/sing to them and may pick up/pet the more friendlier hens, but that's about it.

same but I don't sing

 

[SwampFlock]

I'm raising my chickens Jewish.

 

[Mamatomany123]

Mine start day 1 in the coop. I do go out there and check on them, food, and water. I get them used to being handled to make it easier for me to check them over/handle them when they're older. I don't really cuddle mine but mine arent scared of me. The come when I call, take medicine when needed, and get checked over once a month when they're older. (Unless needed) I mainly trained my first batch and the new chicks follow how they act.

 

[MissE]

I raise them mainly for eggs. The ones that don't lay eggs go in the freezer. They are livestock, not pets. I make sure they are safe, healthy, and fed, but they have a job to do. That job is to provide food. If they don't do it one way, they will do it another.