New to raising babies

[chickbea]

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How cute! I'm glad you are enjoying your babies so much!

 

[Momo]

Another thing you can do is take them outside every day or so for even a few minutes, and be a mother hen with them. (I see you're in Arizona so you can probably do that at this time of year; I have snow here!) They will instinctively come to and follow a rhythmic sound, so you don't have to sound just like a broody hen ("chick chick chick" will work fine although "duck duck duck" seems a little better; lower pitch maybe?). Crouch down, keep clucking, use your fingers to shush around in the grass, use your forefinger to tap at things, and you'll find that they all want to peck at whatever you're "pecking" at. Move away a few feet and call them (best if you shush around in the grass with your fingers at the same time). Keep calling even if they seem confused at first and pretty soon they'll come running and flying to you. Sit down and let them climb in your lap while you cluck and talk to them. Walk around the yard very slowly while clucking and they'll follow you just like chicks follow a broody hen (shuffle your feet so you don't step on 'em). It's a ton of fun and they will imprint on you and grow up to be friendly and unafraid of you. Oh yeah it's also fun to give an alarm call once in awhile and watch them scatter and hide; when you call them back after that they can't get to you fast enough and will want to be in your lap where it's safe.

 

[chickbea]

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All fabulous advice! I hadn't even been thinking about playing outside with them since I'm in the middle of winter here - I forget that not everyone is knee deep in snow!