How to Carry a Chicken

[cluckmecoop7]

Good advice for wild chickens, but does not apply to my girls! They are sweet and come calm and I hold them like pets.

 

[3KillerBs]

Head in front, pooper in back.

I could barely get both hands around my full grown males,
luckily have had little need to handle them often.
I suppose my hands are larger than many women.

Head in front would make controlling the wings with the holding arm easier. I find that tucking the head in under my upper arm keeps them calmer.

Also, I use the same hold when I need to change bands, clip wings, etc.

 

[aart]

Head in front would make controlling the wings with the holding arm easier. I find that tucking the head in under my upper arm keeps them calmer.

Exactly!

When I lay them down on my lap, I cover the head with a small towel if needed.

 

[3KillerBs]

Exactly!

When I lay them down on my lap, I cover the head with a small towel if needed.

I've gotten into the habit of carrying trauma shears in my pocket and can clip wings on a POL pullet by myself while standing right outside the fence with her body pinned under my arm against my ribs, head in my armpit, wing spread by my left hand, trauma shears in the right.

An adult hen or a cockerel requires an assistant or the ability to sit down -- which presents it's own challenges with the feet getting purchase and leverage.

I've noticed that they respond much better to being handled with confidence and reasonable firmness than with excessive diffidence. I can't blame the 16yo for excessive care though. He's 6' tall, klutzy in his growth, and has legitimate reason to worry about hurting them because he really doesn't know how strong he is from one day to the next.

 

[aart]

I've noticed that they respond much better to being handled with confidence and reasonable firmness than with excessive diffidence.

Absolutely!
The keeper needs to stay calm.
I use a soft soothing voice while handling birds, for them..... and sometimes me.

Handling birds fairly frequently as they grow up really helps too.
This last batch I got I never hardly handled them at all, except the 2 that have gone broody.
The other 4 are skittish as all get out whenever I am near.

 

[3KillerBs]

Absolutely!
The keeper needs to stay calm.
I use a soft soothing voice while handling birds, for them..... and sometimes me.

Handling birds fairly frequently as they grow up really helps too.
This last batch I got I never hardly handled them at all, except the 2 that have gone broody.
The other 4 are skittish as all get out whenever I am near.

The 16yo is a great chicken tamer.

I gave him the money from selling his favorite of the chicks because I was able to advertise her as tame and friendly.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

I 'football' them, wings held by my body and arm, fingers wrapped around their breast bone. Tilted to keep feet from grabbing/touching me.
Usually once the wings are pinned they stop struggling.

This is what I usually do.

Head in or head out?

It's quite likely that you have larger hands and longer arms than I have. Most people do.



That's what I thought before Thursday night when Red broke loose.

I'd been carrying the persistent escapee, Yellow, around that way for several weeks without any risk of losing him. But Red got away as described.

I football mine and I’m quite petite with small hands/wrists.

If I have a large rooster that’s feeling particularly feisty I’ll put the head facing my back with wings trapped under my left arm and my right hand holding both legs above the ankle with the legs fully extended so they can’t kick.

 

[svh]

I've used this method for the past 3 years, and it works GREAT ! DO NOT let the bird touch it's feet to anything, or it will try to stand up, and try to get away !

Here's 2 videos of the same method used by professional chicken handlers .....

 

[sdm111]

Good advice for wild chickens, but does not apply to my girls! They are sweet and come calm and I hold them like pets.

Till something startles them and you get your eye scratched out

 

[3KillerBs]

I've used this method for the past 3 years, and it works GREAT ! DO NOT let the bird touch it's feet to anything, or it will try to stand up, and try to get away !

Here's 2 videos of the same method used by professional chicken handlers .....

I can do that with a small one, but my hands are too small and my arms too short for even my 18-week cockerels to be held securely in that fashion. Likewise for Dumpling, the Light Brahma.

Supported, yes, but securely enough that they can't flap and wrench themselves away, no.