How often do you hold your chicks or chickens to make them love it?

[TT4059]

I want to know how often you hold baby chicks or chickens to make them love it? I have been trying to hold my 5 chicks every day. Any tips on how to make them more holdable would be great! 4 of the 5 are Silkie chicks. Should I bathe them? If so how often? Should I also bathe the 5th chick? It is a Lafleche/black mottled d’uccle cross.
They are 3 weeks old now.

 

[K0k0shka]

A lot of it has to do with individual birds personalities.

Breeds, too. Some are easier to tame than others. I have two generations of Orpingtons and all of them are tame and friendly, and can be picked up and held. I also have Barnevelders, raised with them in the same way, but they do not want to be touched or picked up. I still call them lap chickens, because they’ll hop in my lap or on my shoulder and stay there, keeping me company, just as long as I don’t touch them. Their breeder was very surprised when I told her, said that hers won’t even let her get close. So handling mine extensively from hatch certainly helped socialize them. It’s just that the result of my efforts looks different with the two breeds. One likes/tolerates touch and handling, while the other climbs on me more and initiates contact without me touching. Each is friendly and social with me in their own way.

Here are some of mine snuggling as babies:

And older:

They like taking naps in my lap:

Cuddly adult Orp:

One of the touch-averse but still friendly Barnevelders, who likes hanging out in my lap or on my shoulder:

 

[yakitori]

Why do you need to bathe them?

My chicks are handled whenever I want, broody chicks, incubator chicks... I don’t really feed them from my hands, so they will stay on my hand to preen themselves and rest, but will want off once they are bored

I do have a satin that will sit in my lap forever, but I honestly don’t know how she got that way...

The d’uccle/d’uccle mixes I have right now have been the sweetest chicken ever. Just very very gentle souls...

 

[K0k0shka]

P.S. Don’t bathe chickens unless they are so filthy that nothing else helps.

 

[3KillerBs]

I want to know how often you hold baby chicks or chickens to make them love it? I have been trying to hold my 5 chicks every day. Any tips on how to make them more holdable would be great! 4 of the 5 are Silkie chicks. Should I bathe them? If so how often? Should I also bathe the 5th chick? It is a Lafleche/black mottled d’uccle cross.
They are 3 weeks old now.

Most chickens do not like to be picked up and held. They are prey animals and to their minds it's more like being in the jaws of a predator than being carried/cuddled by a mother.

But getting them accustomed to being handled without freaking out is, nonetheless, a good idea. Most of mine will eat weeds from my hands though none are what you'd call "Cuddly". I've only had one chicken that actually wanted to be picked up and carried around -- back in my in-town flock.

There are VERY few times when a chicken should be given a bath. Have you ever heard the phrase "madder than a wet hen"? Chickens aren't fond of water at all.

They do, however, need access to dirt so that they can take dust baths. That's their natural way of removing stale preen oil from their feathers and smothering parasites before they can become established.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

THE STORY OF A SWEET CHICK
One chick, Kiwi, was very cuddly from the start. I remember trying to put him in the brooder- he didn't get off my hand! I felt a connection with him that moment.

I held him at least 10 times a day. We played, napped, cuddled and hugged. He liked to take dust baths on my lap sometimes. I even trained him (at arouond under a week old) to jump onto my leg. We played dress up too!

Our daily routines continued everyday. I couldn't keep my hands off of him, and he couldn't keep his little fluffy feet off me!
One time, he was so excited to see me, he causually jumped out of the brooder and ran to me... "Time for a brooder change!"
I made a brooder out of dog fences and it was large enough for me to sit in with them!

We took so many photos together! And him and his siblings went on "field trips" to the garden, coop and run. Kiwi ran and played, but he always came back for a cuddle when he got tired!

At 7wks old, ot was time for him and his siblings to move to the outdoor run with the hens. I was upset he had to leave but I was happy for him because he loved it outside!
We still cuddled regularly (maybe a little less than before).
At 10wks old he had to go to the vet for an ingrown feather problem and he was so good with the vets. He didn't struggle at all! He was eventually cured!

He integrated well into the flock and grew up into a handsome rooster! He is now atound 20 weeks old and is crowing and mating and protecting. But he always has time for a cuddle and a lap nap!

Sorry that was a long story. If you have a connection with an animal, never let it go. Make sure they know that you love them, and they'll love you back! Sorry that was slightly cheesy!

 

[Iluveggers]

I started with my babies on the first day, offering wet mash in my hands. By day 3, when the trap door opened they would jump in my hands & arms to get to the food! I can pick up all but 3 of the 15 by reaching in from up top, but all will come & get food from my hand if offered. I think part of it is personality, as there are a few that jump up to be held, some I can pick up without a fight although won’t jump up to me unless I have food, and the last 3 that sqwak bloody murder if I hold them (although they eventually calm down, I don’t force the holding for a long time.) My shortest goal is to be able to handle all of them if necessary. My biggest goal is to have a flock of cuddles. I’ll settle for somewhere between the two.
If I could do it again I would probably wear them in a scarf or pocket, one or two at a time when they are just a few days old. They will snuggle when they are brand new. I WOULD NOT do this if they were hatched by a broody.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

All of my birds that have been raised from chicks with me are tame, but only 2 are what I would call "lap chickens" and enjoy being pet. A lot of it has to do with individual birds personalities.
I always move and speak calmly to them.
They were all handled frequently as chicks.
It really isn't anything that can be forced IMO.

 

[TT4059]

One chick seems to want me to hold it! I want the others to do this too. I will keep trying to hold them for short periods

 

[Vickischics]

I have 5 few day old chicks with a first time broody hen. I only pick them up to do a body inspection daily in the evening.
Otherwise, I do not handle them until they are feathered out.
I wash my hands, handle them, change my shirt and wash my hands again.
Thats it.
I have two established flocks that I'm careful not to cross contaminate just "in case".