Hello, I am new to raising chickens. Ours are two weeks old. I have heard they make great pets. We initially got them for eggs but now, we are more interested in having them be part of the family. What are some ways to play with them and get them used to us. Also any ideas on how to get my children involved with the chicks safely. They are 3 & 5 and very excited for the chicks but I'm concerned for the chicks safety. Thanks
Greetings from Kansas, poochiepoochie, and ! Pleased you joined us! I'm not sure how great of a pet they make if you are looking for something that behaves like a dog or cat. They can be friendly and & docile to a point. Some even like to be held and sit on your lap. Just giving them lots of treats and slow movements and quiet voices help tame to them down. Be careful with your kids - the very thing that makes chickens cuddly can make them a menace. When they get friendly, with close proximity they will sometimes peck out of curiosity - wouldn't want one of your kids to get pecked in the eye. Good luck to you.
Thank you Redsox! Yeah, no it wouldn't be good to have on of my daughters with an eye patch. Lol. I've given the chicks scrambled eggs and egg yolks so far. They love those. We have also let them sit in our compost box outside for about a half hour. Our polish seemed to getit but our ri reds did not. Thanks again
Children shouldn't hold chicks up close to their face, they are attracted to shiny things like eyeballs, jewelry, nail polish etc. It's also best to have young children sit on the ground when playing with chicks. Chicks are fast, fragile and unpredictable plus they don't bounce when they are dropped. Some breeds are more inclined to be house pets, silkies are generally docile, seramas were kept as house pets in Malaysia and take confinement well.