How to make a chicken a good pet from a chick?

I have several children that helped hold our chicks. We would hold them several times a day for up to 10 minutes at a time.

You need to be careful to hold them very carefully and not squeeze them at all. Don't ever turn them over on their backs.

Because I had 20 new chicks this year I had two separate boxes so that when we picked up a chick we'd set it down in the other box so we knew which ones we'd held each time.

We just picked up whichever chick was closest so there was never a particular order.

Some chicks can be held and still end up being mean when older. However, all our chicks (with the exception of one Rooster) have turned out to be very nice and still let our kids hold them every day. They do have different personalities so you may get a meanie but most will be very friendly when older.

Have fun!

 

Sit next to their brooder and talk to them quietly. Get down on their level, in other words don't loom over them like a predator would.
Some may get to know their names after awhile. All of my chickens come running when I say c'mon girls! A few of them will come when I call them by their individual names.
You can handle them from their first day, but remember they do get chilled easily and also stressed, so don't keep them out of the brooder too long the first few days.
Chickens love treats and that's the way you are going to get close to them. They'll look forward to seeing you because you bring them good things to eat.
Out of my flock of 18 I have 6 that actually seek me out for attention. The others behave like chickens, not afraid of me and definitely not flighty, but prefer we do our visiting without me picking them up. If I sit down amongst them with a bowl of treats then they're all climbing all over me; including my roos.

 

Chirpy, why can't we turn them over on their backs? I do and have had no problem from it. . . . so far anyway. Especially the other day when I had to inspect a baby for possible injury.

 

Carrying birds upside down, or keeping them on their backs can make it hard for them to breath. I don't think there would be any problem doing it for a short bit to check their health.

If you want them to learn their names, say their names over and over while you are holding them individually. Mine know their names. They will look at me when I call their name, but they come running for the "treat call".

 

luckitri asked:

Chirpy, why can't we turn them over on their backs? I do and have had no problem from it. . . . so far anyway. Especially the other day when I had to inspect a baby for possible injury.

Yes, what flakey chick said. There have been some people who had their chicks die shortly after holding them on their backs, including my daughter's 4 week old chick. So I figure it's better to be safe than sorry since I can't point my finger at anything else that caused our chicks death and other's have said the same.

I do agree that doing it just for a few moments to check on injuries should be Ok, my daughter held hers on her lap, upside down for several minutes.​

 

I agree with gritsar about the talking and getting close. Even after days of talking at their level, when I stood up at the side of the brooder, they acted like I was a monster. I read mine books. Now they're all sci-fi freaks, or maybe just space cadets.

 

I agree with the other post. I think that hand feeding does wonders for taming your chicks. I always say a way to a chickens heart is to feed it.

 

I held mine from chicks and only my roo Don was interested in me. They all come to the sound of my voice and clearly are more comfortable around me than others (sometimes Im afraid I will step on them) but only one hen will let me hold her and thats because she squats when I come up to her but she is freakishly intelligent too, almost talks to me. So dont be upset if they never become lap chickens, i think it depends on the individual chicken.

 

Guys, what kind of "treat" do you recommend for your chicks and adults?



Litewings