playing/handling the chicks

[newchickmom09]

Me and my two kids ages 2 and 4 held ours about 6 or 7 times a day from day one. Now they are 5 weeks old and my kids go out side and pick them up and they just lay on the kids laps. I never let them put them on there heads because they seem to like to pick at your eyes, ear rings, freckles, and moles.

They will run up to your lap.

I would just start holding them as much as you can every single day. Mine didn't like treats until they were almost 3 weeks.

 

[anngili]

The eggs are better for them, but sometimes I cut up grapes and they go nuts over those, too. I also feed them yogurt occasionally (I try to get the plain, active yogurt since it's got no "junk" in it.
It was so funny the first time I gave them yogurt; they looked at it like it was going to eat them but curiosity got the better of them and then it was Katy bar the door time! It's also good for them but whatever treat you give, make sure you don't give them so much they quit eating their chick starter since they need the vitamins and minerals in it, too.

 

[Kacey's Krazee's]

My brooder has a sand floor with about an inch of pine shavings on it. I had put a layer of newspaper on the shavings for a day, and then took up half of the paper, until the next day, and removed it all.
The chicks have scratched their way down to the sand in some areas already. I was told at the local feed store I shouldn't have to feed them grit, if they were being raised on the ground. Does this sound right ?

 

[lavacaw]

I brood mine on the sand floor of the chicken house and have not needed to feed grit ever. My brooder is a big tractor tire with the bottom sidewall cut out, pushed into the sand and filled about an inch or so with shavings. I put paper towels under the feed and water dishes to keep the shavings out and put a big piece of chicken wire over the top, weighted with 2x4's on the sides. A heat lamp hangs from the ceiling attached to a wire so I move the clip up the wire as I need to.

 

[Kacey's Krazee's]

tommorrow will be a new day with my peeps! we are going to get real close and friendly now! Thanks Lavacaw for the assurance in regards to the grit. My brooder is just 2 pieces of plywood, about 20 in tall, and pushed against 2 walls of the hen house, so it makes a large box. my light is also hanging from the ceiling and I have been adjusting as necessary. So far, haven't had to add a top, but they are only 5 days old. thanks everyone for the advice.

 

[patricium]

My babies don't care at all about tomatoes, but they go totally insane for shredded zucchini. Perfect use for those extra/cheap squash in season now. They also like kale a lot. I've only recently managed to convince half of them that yogurt is edible and not for running through.

I made sure to pick up each one every day for the first 3-4 weeks (we only have 8, so it's not that hard). Before I could tell the 4 Buff Brahmas apart, I'd transfer them from the brooder to a box, to make sure I got each one. It was a good time to check for pasty butt when they were babies too. I also sat down to talk soothingly to them when they were up past their bedtime.

Now that they're 6 weeks old, 6 of the 8 are quite likely to hop up on your leg and say hi. One of the buffys is always on you given half a second. The roo-let who was supposed to be a pullet is squirmier than the rest, but will put up with being held.

 

[fargosmom]

I think this is the most fun time of chickie raising. Handle them as often as you can, without cutting into naptime - it will all pay off in the end. I got our chicks at 1 week old and held them from then on, at least once or twice a day (I work . . .) and two of them love snuggling (the other two not so much)(they're 7 months old now). In fact one will kinda attack me with pecking till I pick her up - spoiled little girl!
Anyway don't give up - none of ours acted like they liked being held till they started laying - that's when the two got cuddly.