Participating in petting zoo

[Malbri]

So my chickens are participating in a petting zoo for the moxie festival. What should I bring them in? like the people need to be able to actually pet them, but I dont want them flying out. Im going to ask how big of an area it is, because we have a portable run that is 8x6, so we can load it up and bring it so people can come in and pet them without them being able to fly out, also I can bring more chickens that way. My other option is to build or buy some kind of cage and take them out if someone wants to hold them. I'm using this as an experience for them since I plan on showing them, so the cage would simulate a show enviornment, but the run would probably be more fun for kids and easier and less stressful for me and the birds. Any ideas?
Also, odd question, but would you do anything to "decorate" them. Like people glam up their ponies with glittery mane, and make the "prettyful" for the little kids. Is that something I could do with like my silkies? Paint their toenails or something. Now that would freak my 4H leader out bad!

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Hmm.. My first though was "tethering" because they could still pet the chickens without the birds flying off.

Every time I have seen chickens at a petting zoo or the likes, someone(the owner/handler) was always holding the bird. There was always only one though and if you wanted to pet it the owner would take it out of the cage(which was a cat-carrier) and let you stroke it's back and neck. This would prevent mishandling of the bird by ignorant and curious people.

-Kim

 

[pixiechick]

I've noticed at our farmer's market that people think nothing of letting their dogs run up and nose around the little cage of chickens sitting on the ground. You may want to take this problem into consideration as you plan.

 

[Malbri]

Ive had the chickens around crazy dogs, they think nothing of them.
I will be there the whole time watching the people like a hawk

The problem with the holding the birds is i wanted to take 4 or 5 chickens

 

[silkiechicken]

I'd stick to two or three and swap them out so they can rest. Not everyone is as respectful to "food" animals when it comes to seeing and meeting them. I'd just put a harness on the one you are letting people pet so it can't get away, and switch them once in a while. I'd be afraid of people trying to pick them up wrong, grabbing them by legs "like they do on tv", or even stepping on them when not careful if the birds are in a run. Plus, if the birds aren't used to it, it could stress them out. Maybe I just have little faith in people in mass though.

 

[Malbri]

Do they sell chicken harnesses or do you buy like a cat or ferret one?

 

[Malbri]

Having one chicken out at a time might be hard, the silkie pair, which is the for sure pair that is going, and they are inseperable. You take Prince's girl away, and he flips.
What if I had two pair, the silkie pair and the NN pair. I could keep them on harnesses and have one pair out at a time to give them breaks

 

[CritterHill]

Here is a chicken harness thread I started. Lots of good ideas. I am still looking for an adjustable cat harness. Things got a little derailed here for various reasons...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=57592

 

[seismic wonder2]

I have the "H" style harness designed for small dogs and cats. Mine are silkies they are little. If you have regular sized chickens you'll have to "up size"

My harness has an adjustable loop tha goes over the head, another that has a buckle that goes around the body and clips behind the wings, and there's a strap that goes between the two down the back and down the chest. The leash clips on a loop just behind her neck.