How to make your chicks not scared of you

[onedoodle3]

I had no idea cedar was toxic. I will have to get something else tomorrow. Unfortunately where I live everything closes around 6 p.m. The closest Tractor Supply is over 45 minutes to an hour away so it will be too late to get there. I am going back to Tractor Supply tomorrow morning so I will get it then. Thank you so much for letting me know!!!

 

[onedoodle3]

I called the Tractor Supply I got them from and you are right. They are about a week old. I just cleaned the one we have named "Pasty Butt". He/She enjoyed the bath! He got a little chilly and huddled down in the towel when I was drying him/her. I got done and put him back under the heat lamp. I hope he/she didn't get too chilled.

 

[RonC]

Might want to go ahead and get rid of the cedar shavings and put an old towel down in the brooder. The poop will wash out of the towel.

 

[highpointfarm]

or paper towel will work just fine..... and you can throw it away if it helps =]

 

[SC Yankee]

As I've read about cedar shavings and the toxicity of cedar, it's not the wood itself or the shavings, but the dust that is inhaled which can be toxic. If that's true, then unless there's dust being inhaled, it shouldn't be an issue. Cedar is used in the construction of some coops. It's excellent at not rotting when outdoors.

However, that said, I'm also new to chicks so perhaps some investigation is needed here.

 

[onedoodle3]

I went ahead & took the cedar shavings out. The little fuzzy butts are doing great! I had to give one a bath yesterday to clean her pasty butt and she tried to climb into my hand this morning when I reached in to get the water container. That just made my day! Heading out to Tractor Supply in a few to get pine shavings and their hutch. Then back home to finish their pen. As for the coop, my goal is to have it finished by next week. I'm hoping the weather holds so I can get out in the mornings & work on it before having to go to work. Wish me luck!!!

 

[highpointfarm]

Good Luck

 

[Gigiintheforest]

One way to keep the babies from being too scared when you pick them up is don't swoop your hand down from above but come in slowly sideways. Anything swooping from above kicks in those predator "incoming hawk" genes.

 

[wattsjadajoe]

I have 36 chicks in a 5X8 brooder with 24 inch sides. I have 2 chicks that will fly up into my hand!!! The chicks know my meal worm farm is on the counter!!

When i pick "Flash" up, I have to just crack the drawer to the meal worm farm to get em' a meal worm or he/she will jump down into the drawer and start scarfing' the meal worms up!!

My DW breaks spaghetti into small (meal worm looking) pieces, fills her hand up, lowers her hand into the brooder......look out!! It is like a feeding frenzie!!

So, I would say TREATS!!!

Out of our 36, I would say we have about 6 chicks that steer clear of us...and we have tried to get them to come to us..."work in progress" LOL


Joe

 

[Apyl]

I have 25 chicks and 4 ducks. I just keep handling them everyday and give treats. I also feed them some of their food by hand so they would get use to my hands being in the cage. So far that has worked for us. The chicks I play with are very social and will come to me when I call, the male chicks I purposely do not handle (so I wont be attached when it comes time to butcher) are not social and will run away from my hand. The ducks are a completely different story lol, they are like cats, they only like me when its on their terms. lol