How to teach birds to let you hold them

[Flame80]

Newbie here... my wifes 2 day old domoniques arrived today!! It has been her DREAM to be able to hold her chickens! Her mother was able to do it when she was a child and we have no idea when and how to start "handling" the birds. How does she need to go about getting them used to her and letting her hold them even when they are grown?? We didn't want to harm them too early. Didn't know if we should leave them alone a couple of weeks or what? How often can we pick them up? where do we pet them where they are most relaxed? You get the idea. And thanks ahead of time!!

 

[Cinnamon11]

At first when they are young find out there favorite foods and soon enough they will follow you like puppy’s the after they are more use to you start handing them!

 

[EverV]

Newbie here... my wifes 2 day old domoniques arrived today!! It has been her DREAM to be able to hold her chickens! Her mother was able to do it when she was a child and we have no idea when and how to start "handling" the birds. How does she need to go about getting them used to her and letting her hold them even when they are grown?? We didn't want to harm them too early. Didn't know if we should leave them alone a couple of weeks or what? How often can we pick them up? where do we pet them where they are most relaxed? You get the idea. And thanks ahead of time!!

I don't know what the 'right way' to do it is, but I put a little food on my hand and my three day old golden comets ran towards it right away. They even climbed onto my hand to get at the food, and I could pick them up then. You can pick them up as often as you want, but remember they get tired quickly so give them time to rest and make sure you don't take them out for long. And of course, don't pull them away when they are actually in the process of eating or drinking. Please correct me if I'm wrong!

 

[rosemarythyme]

So there's the "nice" way and there's the "not nice" way - not nice is simply reach in and grab them. Nice would be to sit/crouch down, open up the brooder, and let them come out and explore you as part of the environment.

I admit I fall into the not nice category but most of my chickens are pretty well socialized to us regardless of that, and other than one that's more skittish I have no issues with them running away if I need to pick them up, herd them around, etc. Some enjoy being handled and will come up for attention. With chicks I make it a point to handle them twice a day whether they want it or not.

Regardless of how you want to do it, you do need to handle them at least minimally from the start, to check for pasty butt.

 

[Moebert86]

I began handling mine the day after I brought them home, first once a day and then at least twice a day as they started to grow.
A helpful note, try approaching them from their height; i.e. don’t swoop from above. In nature, birds are usually attacked from above and so they have an instilled fear of this. When in the brooder, I try to put my hand down in a corner, and then slowly move it toward them. For me this has worked best and my chickens seem to be happier for it

 

[Orion ZyGarian]

I began handling mine the day after I brought them home, first once a day and then at least twice a day as they started to grow.
A helpful note, try approaching them from their height; i.e. don’t swoop from above. In nature, birds are usually attacked from above and so they have an instilled fear of this. When in the brooder, I try to put my hand down in a corner, and then slowly move it toward them. For me this has worked best and my chickens seem to be happier for it

This is very good advice, I can attest to that. HUgE difference in how they react between swooping down on them and coming from the side

 

[333113]

Remember, chickens are smarter than most give them credit for. Be nice to them, and they will totally get that you are on their side.

But, they are not dogs.

I suggest reading some of the articles on chicken behavior for their behavior now, and for a jump-start on understanding their "teenage" and adult behavior.

 

[JaeG]

We currently have 4 chicks. 2 are 10 weeks old and 2 are 3 weeks old. We get them out for a big playtime in our bathroom once a day (the older 2 are bantams). They get treats and they get to run around and climb on us. Once they start to get a bit tired they will come and sit on me for a snuggle and I can stroke them. It probably helps that it's winter here so they like to come and cuddle to get warm.

One is particularly cheeky and always wanting to climb up me to get to my shoulder (sometimes my head). Her brother is more cautious and it can be tricky to convince him to come out of their brooder (his sister hangs out at the front begging to come out every time someone goes past - she's the cheeky one) but once he is out he's fine. In contrast his sister is out the door before you've finished opening it, racing around on the floor flapping excitedly, so happy to be free. She's hilarious!

When they are little you can keep playtime short, but it's good to get them out and let them play in the sun and interact with you. It took a little while before they would come and sit on me and I never forced it, but the 2 youngest loved to dustbathe in the carpet right up against my daughter's legs.

The 2 littlest aren't that keen on being held (they will cuddle on my knee though) but the two bantams are quite happy to be held like this by my daughter: