My chicks are getting used to me. When I put my hand inside the brooder, they won't retreat. They will even chase it. When I rub their backs, they will not run away. But when I want to put them on my hand, when I try to hold their entire bodies to carry them, they will calmly look for what's holding them, then peck. I don't know why, but they just keep doing that. It hurts(physically). When I have to carry them(put them outside to play) they will still do that. So I put my grandmom to do it for me, and she can carry them, because she handles them very roughly; squeezing them too hard, carrying them on their necks. They're screaming/chirping violently. I pity, but they have to be carried. Please help. How do you carry them? Thanks in advance!
Maybe you could gently scoop them into a container and carry them that way? I've never done it but I hope it helps!
When mine were small enough I would hold them with one hand, over their back, holding their wings down. They got too big for that pretty soon, so I would have to hold them on one side, holding a wing down with my other had old the other wing down (my hubby could do it with one hand for a lot longer) Now well they're pretty big, we still hold wings down, but it takes TWO full hands on each side, then we hold them up against our bodies with a hand under the chest area - just in front of the legs... and cuddle!
I like to say that the easiest way to carry a young or small chick is to pretend it it is sticky cupcake and you don't want to get frosting on your hands. Then when they are older, I say pick them up like a foot ball.
They're all 1.5 weeks old, but they're getting very big! Yes, I used a box to take them outside; put some food in it then put it on the door area and they will be trapped. But I want to hold them to play with them, take pictures of them, and fun stuff. Thanks for the help!
I always slid two fingers of my left hand between their legs and put my right hand on their back to hold their wings down, still pick them up that way- in fact their stand their and wait for me to pick them up like that...I guess no fear of dropping them that way and no injury.