How to make friendly chicks?

[4theloveofhens]

Hey Everyone

I've had my 2 week old chicks for about a week now and I'm wondering if any of you guys have any tips or tricks to get them to be more friendly (if possible, I have 1 bantam cochin, 2 red sex links, 1 wyandotte). They are currently in the house in the bathroom, so they hear our voice a lot. They also come out on our laps for "movie time" for about 2 hours once a day. Just wondering if there are any other tips to make them more accustomed to us!

Thanks!

 

[acissej]

I started bringing mine treats. It only took ONE time before they were so excited to see me! I would just put something like shredded cheese in my hand and let them eat out of it. Now when I reach my hand toward them and they come to investigate rather than run off. I love it

 

[elmo]

With ours it seems regular handling does the trick. Every day we pick each chick up, if only for a few moments. Interestingly enough, this year's batches of hen raised chicks seem to be turning out just as tame as the batch we artificially brooded last spring.

 

[noodleroo]

Go to my page to see what I do to tame chicks. Works great!

 

[math ace]

If you want to win a chicken's heart TREATS are the trick !

 

[sreihart]

I've tried the blowing warm air on the chicks thing and my chicks went ballistic. Maybe they thought I was going to eat them

. I have Buff Orps and have tried handling them. They are now three weeks and three days old and when I pick one up they act like it's the end of their life. I feed them yogurt and let them peck it off my fingers and they love it. I bring them a bowl of sand and they do know that my hand means goodies. But I still have to pick them up by cornering them and then they complain loudly the whole time. I talk softly and cuddle them to my chest but they still don't seem to settle down. What am I doing wrong? I want birds that like to sit in my lap

 

[MissJenny]

It doesn't sound like you are doing anything wrong -- it sounds like chicks being chicks. It is very much like when my son was six and I would serve him a new food. He'd howl, he'd wail, he'd come to the brink of tears, "No, no, no, I don't like this, I don't want this, how can you make me put this yucky stuff in my mouth!?!?!" You Mean Mommy, You!!!" Then he'd take a bite and ... yum... he'd dig in. "This is great! This is wonderful! Can I have some more?!" It's the same with the chicks. They are sure you are snatching them up and whisking them off to their doom... till they settle into you lap and , "Oh, this is nice... I'll have another grape, thanks..." Sheesh!

Jenny