Okay, So I have 6 baby chicks. 5 are older then one chick, and the one chick that is smaller then the rest is a bit aggressive. So i decided to rehome the aggressive chick to the incubator which has become a brooder box. I took out the turner and the plastic thing of the hover bator incubator and put felt in instead of pine. I also bought hand warmers. Anyway, the incubator is on low heat and i put the lid of the incubator diamond shaped towards the bottom so it gets air and not too hot. Anyway, I decided to hold the small one, but it kept biting me. So i decided to cup my hands around the baby, not tight so it can breath. And right away he calmed and actually fell asleep. Not only does it calm the bird down it keeps him warm and helps you bond with your chick(s). I was able to stroke his head. i guess the cupping of the hands reminded him when he was in the egg. I will place him back in the other brooder box with the others tomorrow to see how he does. He kept pecking the other ones in the eyes... ouch...
interesting idea would this help to make more frienly chickens or are u kinda scaring them into submition?
It's not scaring them - it's making them feel safe. Kind of like a chick huddling under a mama's breast feathers.
That will probaly come in really handy when I get my very first order of chicks in I and so scared one of them will die though!
holly chicken, I was really scared too, but my babies are now 3 weeks old and doing great, I am going to have to try the hand hold that is described because several of my babies still cry a lot when I hold them. I managed to calm a couple down yesterday by allowing them to hide / snuggle in my jacket I was wearing, and was even able to pet them when they were in there. I think that jacket will become my chick holding attire!
Thats how I hold my babies too. Two of them natually just huddle down and get comfy and pretty much fall asleep as soon as I pick them up. My SLW is a spunky thing and keeps pecking and picking on the other ones and my EE gets all flighty and scared but will tolerate me holding her.
the first one i did was the aggressive one which would automatically fall asleep when i hold him now. lol. he like props himself against my hand its so funny. i put him back with the others and he's doing great now. i changed the wood pines/food and water today, so it's all nice and clean now.
I have found that if you cup your hands around a chick, and make little clucking noises close to it's head (like a momma hen would do) they really like it! They always calm right down, and quickly fall asleep. After a few days of doing this, my chicks always think of me as their momma! Its cute
I've been doing the same thing (cupping my hands around them) and my little chicks settle right in. I also blow on their heads and kind of chirp at them. Not sure why I'm doing it, but they just snuggle when I do. When I put them back down in the brooder, I lower them on an open palm and they don't scurry away. They sit on my hand for a moment or two before rejoining the melee. I love these little chicks. My first ever.
We've found that the more you play with them, the more they love you. It takes patience and calmness. And worms...
