No fertile eggs, I have rooster

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

I tried to snip his fluffy butt feathers but was unsuccessful because he wouldn't stay still and I wasn't fast enough to wrap him in the towel before he thrashed around in my arms and ran away. He was not half asleep and calm as I thought he would be! He never gets handled so not use to it like my other chickens I had since hatch.

...I wonder how do you tame a chicken? He will eat from my hand but runs away from me any other time, very flighty. Can you train a chicken to not be flighty or that's just part of their individual character? I might have to do some research.

 

[Stino12]

...I wonder how do you tame a chicken? He will eat from my hand but runs away from me any other time, very flighty. Can you train a chicken to not be flighty or that's just part of their individual character? I might have to do some research.

I like to tuck my chickens under my arm and have a chat with them about my plans for the day and how much I love being their mum. It doesn't make them any friendlier but it makes me feel better

 

[Chicalina]

I tried to snip his fluffy butt feathers but was unsuccessful because he wouldn't stay still and I wasn't fast enough to wrap him in the towel before he thrashed around in my arms and ran away. He was not half asleep and calm as I thought he would be! He never gets handled so not use to it like my other chickens I had since hatch.

My rooster was hand reared and he still doesn't like being held! More indignant than terrified though.

It is good to get them used to it, just for basic health checks like mites, lice, feather condition, minor injuries etc

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

My rooster was molting a feather here and there over the last few weeks and did seem a bit off, but seems to be back in the game now so hopefully next broody will get fertile eggs to sit on. .. I did see my cockerel attempting to mate a pullet and rooster did not like that at all and chased him off, I might end up with chicks fathered by my cockerel instead! I think I'd rather breed with my rooster though since my cockerel is the brother of most of the pullets... although my rooster is the father to all the pullets! .. humm.. I don't want to interbreed too much.

 

[black_cat]

One of mine is extremely skittish. Same thing, eats from my hand but doesn't want me to touch her. I'm moving toward doing what I did with my others:
Step one: petting. This one panics when I move my hand to touch her. I want her to just be annoyed.
Step two: fake holding. This is what I did with my three others. I would take them and hold them like I was about to pick them up, holding their wings to their bodies and my fingers on their chest. I would hold them like that until I could feel their heart stop racing and they stopped acting afraid.
Step three: Actually lifting! I am now able to lift three out of four of my girls. They are annoyed at me but don't panic being held. I breath deeply when I'm holding them to make sure they're calm.

 

[bobbi-j]

How old is he? Do you have someone who could help hold him for you if you can get him off the roost at night and trim his feathers quickly.