How to deal with finger pecking

[vortec]

How do you deal with chicks that are biting your fingers on purpose? The Brahma packing peanuts were the only ones that did it at first so I figured they were just a ill tempered breed but now a Barred rock hen( 4 weeks ) did it several times today. How do I break them of this?

vortec

 

[JennsPeeps]

It's just natural curiousity and will stop. Chickens explore the world with their sensitive beaks, just in the same way that young human babies put things into their mouths at a certain age. Eventually they will figure out that fingers are not food (and are therefore very boring), and they'll stop.

 

[riderbecky]

Its for this reason that I stopped hand feeding my girls. They will still peck at them thought if my hands are shiny from water or something.

Could you specify with examples what your doing when they're biting/pecking you?

 

[tonini3059]

Mine do it also especially if i am wearing nail polish they love to try to pick at it or my rings.

 

[melissastraka]

I bop them on the beak, gentle like (

) after a couple of times they stop unless they see my rings

 

[LynneP]

No jewellry in the coop, especially earrings. Always wear protective gloves, no feeding by hand. Use designated bowls only to distribute foods as treats, and stick mainly to properly blended feeds for their age level, provided in feeders/hoppers. When they are older you will be thankful. The beak-bopping may make some of them shy and others angry...