Imprinting question from Newbie...!!

[LynneP]

Gosh mine were 12 hours old when I received them at the co-op. They imprint to voice as well as to image, so if you have to keep them in there you can talk to them!

 

[babsh]

Quote:
We hatched a single egg last spring (not by choice, she was the only one that made it). Gertrude, clearly imprinted us. She would freak out and peep loudly when she could not see us (major pain at night) and she would follow us right on our heels, where ever we went. I think a big piece of this was that she was the ONLY chick. I think it was unnatural for her to be alone and thus, it affected the imprinting. She literally was not ever calm unless she was in our arms or within eyesight. We quickly ran out and got more chicks, but it took 10 days to get them. It was a long 10 days.

We now have 10 chickens and Gertrude is tamer than the rest (but my others are friendly and tame as well, just not as extreme as her). She is TOTALLY not afraid of us at all, so that skitteryness that chickens have is totally absent with her. If you try to push her out of the way, she just stands there looking at you wondering why you are pushing that broom against her. She is totally comfortable being held and picked up. One surprise though- she pecks. A LOT. Has been that way from day one and will even aggressively bite me in the back of the leg if I don't watch her. Is it because of how she was raised? Dunno. Also, interestingly, she is at the bottom of the pecking order, even though she is the biggest and the oldest. Again, perhaps because of how she was initially raised?

Barb

 

[Suellyn]

babsh wrote: One surprise though- she pecks. A LOT. Has been that way from day one and will even aggressively bite me in the back of the leg if I don't watch her. Is it because of how she was raised? Dunno. Also, interestingly, she is at the bottom of the pecking order, even though she is the biggest and the oldest. Again, perhaps because of how she was initially raised?

I am new to chickens but a ZooKeeper by trade- have raised numerous baby animals (we try to leave them with Moms, but sometimes isn't possible) and I bet you are right, Barb... Lots of our animals that don't AT LEAST have siblings to play/interact with COMMONLY end up with "social issues"... they don't quite know "what to do", or act inappropriately and get themselves into trouble with other members of their species! Gertrude sounds wonderful/VERY personable though!!!

What kind of chicken is she?

I still want to kinda "go for" encouraging some imprinting, but HOPEFULLY I will get more than one chick to hatch out, to kinda take the pressure off a bit... NO WAY can I sleep with a peep in my bed to keep it quiet

... DH will divorce me!!​

 

[babsh]

"Social issues"- hah, yeah that is how i would describe her. It is very funny to see a chicken that has no fear at all. You can run at her and she won't budge. I guess it makes her pretty vulnerable to predators though. Fortunately, we have very few.

I'm not exactly sure what breed she is. A mutt, i suppose. I think she is an EE, because she has dark legs. But she didn't get the blue egg gene, unfortunately.

Barb

 

[cmom]

Also some breeds of chickens tend to be more docile than other breeds but handling and treats do go along way and a good way to get them to imprint. I sometimes take a milk crate or a yard chair and go and sit with them and talk to them when I give them treats. The will follow me anywhere.