How long is to long to cuddle chicks?

[Sentimentalgamer]

Ok my husband's family has been hammering us with this for weeks now. I want our chickens to be social with us and the kids, but everyone keeps telling us that handling them will stress them out and kill them. Now most of our babies are approaching the month or more mark, but I just got 10 newborn silkies on the 9th and (knock on wood) they are all still alive. I've been doing good but I desperately want to cuddle my new fur babies! So...how much love is to much?
Also...some of them have either 4 toes, or only 5 toes on one foot, is this normal? They all have the black skin and beaks.
The below pictures are the different colors we got.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

The missing toes is common for hatchery quality Silkie chicks.

Handling your chicks will not harm them or kill them. Don't keep them away long enough to get cold and they should be fine. Keep calm and be gentile, that's about it.

As their feathers start to come in... they get pin feathers.. and these can be painful for the chick if squeezed or pressed. It could make them avoid you, so cupping gently over the top is recommended. Also approaching from the side and low is less scary than hovering above and swooping down like a predator. Try to encourage them to step on your hand. I highly suggest you start handling your month old birds asap... they will get used to it and it will become routine instead of freaking them out for the rest of their lives. Some will calm down and enjoy petting while others may always be flighty and only approach for treats, all are individuals regardless of breed. If you can raise them to your level it is less scary for them. For the older ones.. maybe handle individually once they have settles down for the evening. (much easier if they get dark time, so I use non light emitting heaters for chicks)

I suggest crush the crumbles extra for your new babes, it helped my survival rate for bantams.

One thing you will learn here... no one way is the right way. There are lots of ways to do things and what works for YOU may work for some and not others and that's okay. We are here to share and learn from each other. Some are more cautious, others more care free. Use your best judgement and do what seems right to you. If it isn't working or you learn something new, switch it up as needed. Chicken keeping has been a very fluid and learning always growing hobby and adventure!

Oh gosh, your new babies and kiddo are so cute!

Welcome to BYC!

 

[Sentimentalgamer]

The missing toes is common for hatchery quality Silkie chicks.

Handling your chicks will not harm them or kill them. Don't keep them away long enough to get cold and they should be fine. Keep calm and be gentile, that's about it.

As their feathers start to come in... they get pin feathers.. and these can be painful for the chick if squeezed or pressed. It could make them avoid you, so cupping gently over the top is recommended. Also approaching from the side and low is less scary than hovering above and swooping down like a predator. Try to encourage them to step on your hand. I highly suggest you start handling your month old birds asap... they will get used to it and it will become routine instead of freaking them out for the rest of their lives. Some will calm down and enjoy petting while others may always be flighty and only approach for treats, all are individuals regardless of breed. If you can raise them to your level it is less scary for them. For the older ones.. maybe handle individually once they have settles down for the evening. (much easier if they get dark time, so I use non light emitting heaters for chicks)

I suggest crush the crumbles extra for your new babes, it helped my survival rate for bantams.

One thing you will learn here... no one way is the right way. There are lots of ways to do things and what works for YOU may work for some and not others and that's okay. We are here to share and learn from each other. Some are more cautious, others more care free. Use your best judgement and do what seems right to you. If it isn't working or you learn something new, switch it up as needed. Chicken keeping has been a very fluid and learning always growing hobby and adventure!

Oh gosh, your new babies and kiddo are so cute!

Welcome to BYC!

Thank you for the info! The family had us so worried! We've lost about 5 out of our large group, and it devastates us every time (even my husband turns into a big baby over them! You should have heard the squeal he let out in the car when we opened the silkie box!) So we've been extra paranoid.

 

[AquaDuck]

As long as the chicks are relaxed and happy, you're good. And they look so in your pictures. Socialization early on is crucial if you want calm pet chickens. As @EggSighted4Life said, be careful and friendly when picking them up. Let them come to you, and make it a pleasant experience for them. If you can, take them all out and let them run free on the floor while sitting with them. That way you're not the "scary hovering monster" over their brooder. If you place a heat pad next to you, they'll cuddle up and fall asleep.

 

[Keeperofmunchkins]

Chicks adore being snuggled and it rarely does them any harm.

The rule I follow is that chicks need two things: heat and food/water. In the first day or two, they don't even need food and water. So I like to handle/cuddle them as long as I'm not depriving them of these things for too long.
It's actually pretty easy to provide enough warmth from your own body and a towel or blanket to keep chicks comfortable, so then I just have to worry about not letting them go hungry. They usually eat about every half hour to one hour, so that's how much time I like to snuggle them if I get some quiet time with them. (I usually sit down with an old towel on my stomach or chest). It really does help the chicks become more friendly.

The best indicator of if the chicks are happy with being handled is their noises. A cold chick will cheep incessantly. An uncomfortable chick will squeal and wriggle. A warm, comfortable chick will be quiet and sleepy.

 

[AquaDuck]

Chicks adore being snuggled and it rarely does them any harm.

The rule I follow is that chicks need two things: heat and food/water. In the first day or two, they don't even need food and water. So I like to handle/cuddle them as long as I'm not depriving them of these things for too long.
It's actually pretty easy to provide enough warmth from your own body and a towel or blanket to keep chicks comfortable, so then I just have to worry about not letting them go hungry. They usually eat about every half hour to one hour, so that's how much time I like to snuggle them if I get some quiet time with them. (I usually sit down with an old towel on my stomach or chest). It really does help the chicks become more friendly.

The best indicator of if the chicks are happy with being handled is their noises. A cold chick will cheep incessantly. An uncomfortable chick will squeal and wriggle. A warm, comfortable chick will be quiet and sleepy.

I have this electric heat pad for my back that I put in my lap with an old towel on top. Watching movies with chicks and ducklings sleeping peacefully on my lap, mighty cute!

 

[Japoniquail]

Sorry about last post. I was on my phone and wrote on the wrong thread

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Also I never put down a bird that's throwing a fit to reinforce the behavior. I wait until they calm and then set them down gently.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Ooh! It's so hard to resist those fluffy babies! I wish I'd cuddled mine more. As others have said, it might make them easier to handle when they're older. Mine aren't afraid of me (they think I'm a rooster), but they don't exactly enjoy being picked up an examined. I'm getting silkies next month, and I plan to cuddle them like crazy! I like the heating pad on the lap idea, and I've heard of others carrying them in apron pockets. That's my plan - as long as the little fluffs are comfy!

Sorry about last post. I was on my phone and wrote on the wrong thread

Glad to know I'm not the only who does this!