How to make chicks cuddly and pettable? Feeling discouraged...

[Farmgirl1878]

I've only had a couple of chickens who were so tame as to sit in my lap. They only became that way when they were teenagers (5-8 weeks old) and I only had 6 chickens. I would sit on the ground or in a chair in their area for quite a while every night. I sometimes had treats, but not always. Mealworms are their favorite. I would let them fly up on my leg, shoulder, or even my head sometimes. I feel like it was just a matter of spending enough time with them that they feel you are part of the flock.

Now that they are much older (4 yrs old) and I have a rather large flock (50+ chickens), they don't come sit in my lap anymore or really even allow me to pet them unless I take them off the roost, but they will follow me around or even come when I call. All my chickens are constantly underfoot when its feeding time. They know I bring treats frequently so they are always trying to see what I've got in my hands, bowl, or bucket.

I only have fourteen, including four two-week old chicks. All of them, including the chicklets come when I call! The adults taught them that within days. They’re being raised by a broody, but they already will sit on my lap.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

I did similarly to you and got practically the same results. I handled mine as much as I realistically could and most (definitely not all) like or love to be held or perch on my arm.

Same here only one of my doesn't like being picked up but she will come and climb on you as Long as you let her come to you

 

[Oddyseous]

My first chickens were my barred rocks who are all about 3 years old now. Being my first, I gave them a lot of attention from day one (got them as day old chicks) and held them a bit. They let me pick them up and pet them still, however it does stress them out so I only do it once in a while when one is next to me (pet them) and I don't pick them up unless I have a reason to usually. But overall I've been really impressed with my barred rocks just as being the friendliest chickens ever, however, they did get the most attention their entire growing period.

 

[Ascholten]

I don't have a choice, mine come running every time they see me, if Im stooped down they are already poking into my hand looking for snacks, if I reach for them they'll squat, if they are out of petting range, ill grab them by the tail and drag them over so i can fluffle them up...so it'd be hard for me to claim im stressing them I would want to think if they were stressed they'd run away from me, not for me. Thank god they don't understand human language, it'd be VERY awkward trying to explain what, You can either make me breakfast or BE breakfast meant

aaron

 

[Chickassan]

No, you don't get to do anything that dosent involve a chicken or several if they like you.
I started making my husband mow the backyard to avoid disaster.
They don't like him at all

I don't have a choice, mine come running every time they see me, if Im stooped down they are already poking into my hand looking for snacks, if I reach for them they'll squat, if they are out of petting range, ill grab them by the tail and drag them over so i can fluffle them up...so it'd be hard for me to claim im stressing them I would want to think if they were stressed they'd run away from me, not for me. Thank god they don't understand human language, it'd be VERY awkward trying to explain what, You can either make me breakfast or BE breakfast meant

aaron

 

[Ascholten]

I ... I guess... have been fortunate?? they haven't figured out, the mower stirs up all kinds of bugs and chicken snacks. They day they DO figure it out, I bet Ill have 3 of them sitting on the steering wheel of the mower telling me where to go with it..

aaron

 

[Chickassan]

LoL, I've got a twenty one strong army out there.
Fortune would not smile on me long at all.

I ... I guess... have been fortunate?? they haven't figured out, the mower stirs up all kinds of bugs and chicken snacks. They day they DO figure it out, I bet Ill have 3 of them sitting on the steering wheel of the mower telling me where to go with it..

aaron

 

[Ascholten]

Now if we could only teach them that A: mower causes goodies and B: This is how THEY can mow the lawn for us !! we'd be in heaven. somehow I can see a far side cartoon with a chicken on a riding mower, trying to mow down people bucking... SEEDS, bawk... BERRIES.... bawk....SNACKS... bwaaakkkk

Aaron

 

[jBabychickn]

Not all chickens will ever want to be held and petted.

In fact, most will never want to be held and petted. They are prey animals so that's too much like being in the jaws of a predator.

But patience and food will eventually have them crowding around your ankles to the point that you can barely walk in the run without kicking one.

Agreed! This is my experience!! — I’ve got really good at Tip-toeing!!
— They Run to me & Greet me; they talk to me & make sure to tell me ALL about everything that’s going on with their day; then most of all, they hang out & listen to me while I tell them all about my day…
— So yeah, my chickens aren’t the cuddly, snuggly ones you see all over Instagram, but they definitely are lovable; I’m just fine with that!

 

[Bone Bunny]

I am in the same boat! The villhens came to us in March as day olds. half of them had poopy butts at some point within the first few days to weeks, and that seemed to destroy any trust they could have had for my hand. I was devastated.

Then, we learned that chickens are like men:

The way to their heart is through their stomach.

So, while they were still in the brooder at about a month old or so, I would crush up two of dried mealworms and hold it palm up. It took a little bit, but then it was like crack and they couldn't wait for more.

This is my son with them a couple of weeks ago. When I step outside and say "cheep cheep" they all come running like little chocobos wearing bellbottoms. It is fabulous!

They like to follow me around the yard and be generally nosey. But, they do not like to be picked up, with the exception of Roovirine, (The dark one in the middle trying to make his way into my kids lap.

We just got the new ones in this week, and OMG are they freakin cute! However, one of them turns into a psychopath if they see a red light, so we cannot use one. Her name is Evilene, the wicked witch of the west (side of the brooder). The first day she kept grabbing on to the others eye and would not let go, trying to drag it across the brooder. I even picked her up while she was latched on thinking she would let go, and it lifted the other chick off the ground! After switching out lights, she has been fine aside from an occasional peck, but they all do that. However, she does not like my hand at all at the moment.

I feel like I have started off badly and worry I wont get to have a cuddler out of these either.

I have been trying to find info on how young is to young for the treats and have been getting info from all over the place. But I figured by three weeks I will be doing the same thing as I did with the first ones, but extend the play time a little longer before they go out to the coop. I hope it works!

I am following his thread to see if it works out for you or any other advice that is shared. I would like a cuddly chicken or one that will ride on my shoulder like a parrot for Halloween (my long term goal).

Good luck to you!


PS: They are all Brahmas, just different colors.