I discovered how to get friendly broody-raised chicks

[azygous]

Haven't we all heard that you just need to accept that if you let a broody hen raise your baby chicks, you need to accept they won't be very tame and people friendly? That they won't want to be touched or held?

I had already accepted this tenet when my six-year old Speckled Sussex Linda hatched a single Cream Legbar chick five weeks ago. I was also very concerned that this single chick was doomed to be lonely and a misfit since she was consigned to growing up with no other chicks as brooding mates.

I've been so surprised to find that neither one of those concerns has materialized. This single chick, named Ladybug, has been one of the tamest chicks I've ever had, and she has fitted into the flock so well that I marvel every day that she's almost never harassed by the adult chickens. But then she has the most fierce hen in the flock as a body guard.

Here's the big secret to her tameness - having a very tame and lap-friendly broody mom. When I wanted to handle the chick, I included Linda in the process by letting her into my lap as I handled her chick. Within a day or two, Ladybug was hopping into my lap whenever I sat down in the run. Since her mama trusted me and enjoyed being in my lap, Ladybug took her cues from that and became a lap-chick.

Ladybug is going on six weeks old now, and she comes right to me every time she sees me, even out free-ranging.

If it's very friendly chicks you want, but you wish to have a broody hatch and raise your chicks, pick the friendliest, most lap-prone broody you have for the job.

 

[sumi]

Good idea! So far 90% of my broodies have been either skittish or super protective of the chicks. Resulting in skittish chicks, though we had little problems so far, integrating them with the flock.

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

Hmm I will have to try this my Broody is very friendly as well and though her chicks just hatched last week they happily jump into my hand when I set it next to them but I will try picking her up into my lap tonight and petting her and going forward will continue and see if the chicks follow as your single chick did. My hatched out 4 chicks so hopefully I will have the same results. Keeping fingers crossed and will keep you posted.

 

[appps]

Didn't know that and nobody told my chicks lol. My broody raised was far friendlier than the brooder raised ones. Just pick a friendly mother and they will learn from her to be friendly. My broody used to call them over to eat from my hand.

 

[JaeG]

Yup, you can't beat a good broody and that means one that trusts you. There are still different personalities within the chicks but the chicks are taught to trust you because you are the provider of food. I've got a Booted Bantam raising four Silkie chicks and because the mother chicken gets super excited every time she sees me coming with food the chicks start leaping about excitedly, all trying to be the first to get to me. Two chicks are exceptionally friendly and love being fussed over. Your Ladybug is so cute!

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

My broody is being a pain some days she is friendly to me like she use to be before she had chicks and other times she raises a fuss. I can see how confussed the chicks are on if they are met to run to the big food bringer or not

 

[carlf]

My broody hen had no problem with me handling her peeps. When they were little they would jump right in my hand to feed and she would call them over.
But once they got about a month old they started getting a little skittish.
The pullets I kept are still standoff-ish but they arent ready to squat yet either.