Lovable Chick. Will she stay this way?

[Aapomp831]

I won't mind if she gets a bit distant but I hope she can still tolerate being held and maybe jumping on my lap

She will probably grow out of the cuddly stage; chickens are not naturally cuddly. They are a highly predated species and being held feels like being taken off by a predator. Don’t take it personally - but dogs and cats are better for long term snuggle time.

 

[Callender Girl]

Agreed.

Dottie, the house chicken, will come jump on my lap, sit beside me on the couch and let me stroke her feathers while she falls asleep, and she leaps onto my outstretched arm when I say, "Dottie, perch." She will also poke her head into an open refrigerator to choose her own grapes if I don't keep an eye on her when I'm foraging for snacks there.

Then, there's the rest of the flock. Nearly all of them were brooded in the house and handled daily; they will gladly allow me to feed them by hand but have NO interest in ever being held again.

Dottie was, unfortunately, raised as a lone chick who failed to integrate into the flock. Your baby has chicken siblings and will, no doubt, be better socially adjusted. Your kindest act is to let her be a chicken and enjoy whatever interaction she wants from you. It's hard to let the special ones grow up.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Please reply

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Sorry but it's unlikely. And she may be a he.
When the hormones start flowing they change.

She's always been really calm and sweet... Nothing like the other chick that is very much like a roo. She acts like the 2 hens I have outside

 

[Callender Girl]

It's hard to say. In my experience, they usually change as they grow up. I do have a house chicken (long story) that's 2 years old now and actually seeks out my company when she's loose in the house (which is certainly NOT all the time). I hope your girl continues to be your buddy.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

View attachment 2587655here she is posing for a photo

2 weeks old now but she was younger in this photo

 

[dct10]

Well, my first question is: how do you know she's a she? We raised 12 chicks last year and from the beginning, several were very social. They would immediately jump onto us and would stay there as long as we'd let them. As they got older and grew feathers, they would fly up onto our arms and shoudlers. A year later, the very social birds are still the same. Maggie jumps onto my shoudler the instant I enter the run and she rides around while I perform my chores. She and the other social birds are EEs. The Cochins were a bit stand-offish from the beginning bit have warmed up and will now happily sit on our laps and enjoy human contact. NOW...the roos are a very different story. The roos were also very social and friendly for the first 8 months as well. At about the 10 month mark, they became jerks. ALL of them. One, the dominant male has become dowright aggressive. I'm working on it but it doesn't look promising. So, here's to hoping she is a she. I now see why roosters are persona non grata to alot of folks. They def have their role but pets appear not to be among them.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Thanks! @dct10
I think she is a she because.. I have a strong feeling... She is just like the classic hen- I really hope she is a girl for sure!
Now she is 6 weeks old, still so sweet and loveable!

 

[Justicedog]

I had one chicken (out of 11) who was super friendly with me. She was my crooked beak chicken and I hand feed her for a long time as she needed to stick her whole face into the food in order to get any food. She would get a bowl of crumbles always. But she was the own who would see me (or anyone holding a cup or a bowl) and come running and jumping into our arms.

The rest of my chickens have generally been friendly treat beggars.

I have 5 chicks I'm brooding now who have decided that I am evil itself and they all scream and flee whenever I (or anyone else) nears them. I've never had a group (this is my 3rd) who have behaved like this.

 

[MysteryChicken]

My sister's silkie chick stayed a lovable boy when he grew up. Still likes to sprawl out on his side for belly rubs when he gets snuggles.