How often should you hold chicks?

[Billy73]

I have 5 chicks now. 2 are about 2 1/2 weeks and 3 are about 1 1/2 weeks old. They are absolutely terrified of humans still. I have been only holding them a few minutes each day. Wondering if this is too much or not enough handling to get them used to human contact. Any other ideas? maybe hand feeding them treats? At what age do they usually get comfortable around humans?

 

[Rock Home Isle]

If I'm recieving day olds...I don't touch them for the first day or two, unless I have too. On the 3rd day I try to hold each of the chicks each day. In this fashion they will get used to being handled and touched. A judge for show birds will hold a bird and look at feathering on wings etc. Go through that routine with each chick each day.

By the time that they are feathered-out and ready to hit your coop & run...or what ever system you have in place; they will be very acclimated to being handled.

Another thing that I do is get the chicks used to eating from your hand while still in the brooder. Then when they are out in the coop & run, I always have something for the them eat from my hand when I check on them or feed and water them...even the most timid chicken will come to hand when others are being fed a treat.

 

[Billy73]

 

[Billy73]

Thanks Rock Home Isle. Thats about what I have been doing. I feel better now.

 

[Emmasmom]

Mine are about 3 and 4 weeks old. I try to hold each of them once or twice daily. They are starting to come around - some more than others. A couple will even come out and sit on my arm/lap. They seem to like it when I rub their breast bone area. Treats definitely help!

Good luck!

 

[Izzymoon]

I pet mine on the back and they purr, then once a day I sit and put each of them on my lap, they protest a bit, but then calm down. I face the coop (brooder) so they can see their sisters, then I carefully put them back and one by one they all get held.

I found that when I move them I put them in the dog crate and they are very happy to see me when I am finished cleaning and they let me pick them up without protest.

But pretty much just petting them on the back gently they usually jump at first but them realize you aren't going to hurt them. Another thing you could do is put something tasty in the palm of your hand and offer it to them, they should jump into your hand

hope this helps

 

[leadwolf1]

I pick mine up from day 1. I check for pasty butt, twice daily. My kids call it checking for teeny tiny shiny hinnies As they get bigger, we hold them more and more..bringing them treats to eat and dig around their brooder for. Our first chicks, my son built them a playground jungle gym thing and we spent hours playing with them...they are still our favorite, most gentle chickens.

 

[cary 1973]

I noticed with the approch you take also makes a big diffrece when i pick up now I go under him not over them and they seem to like that better. I also talk to mine all the time now all i have to say is Hi babys is a certin voice they come running.

 

[azygous]

If your chicks are terrified of you touching them, then you are probably reaching down to pick them up from above.

Chicks are instinctively afraid of anything diving at them from above. Think hawks and owls.

When that finally occurred to me, I promptly elevated my brooder up on a table and cut a door into the side. It made an instant and remarkable difference. The chicks could see that I was attached to the hand that was reaching for them from the side. They were curious rather than afraid.

By sliding your hand in from the side, moving it slowly up to the chick's feet, and leaving it there until they are inclined to step onto your hand, you will find they're quite eager to be touched and handled.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I've noticed that my daughter has difficulty picking up the chicks...every time that she picks them up they squack and cluck and struggle. She walks up them, and quickly reaches down to scoop them up....I believe that she startles them. When she puts them down, they quickly run away out of arms reach.

When I want a bird, I walk near them and bend over or kneel down to their level, and tap the ground...they come running up to me (I'm sure that the tapping makes them think that I have found food) and I place my hand under their breast and pick them up, hold them for a bit....scratching and petting them and then I put them down. Usually after I put them down they stand there a moment or follow me as if waiting to be touched or handled some more.