Raising chicks to be friendly

[The Backyard Bantams]

A day ago got 7 little chicks. I want to raise them to be super friendly and maybe have one as a partial house chicken. I have 3 of my silkie babies snuggling up on my lap with a hot water bottle as I am writing this. They are all asleep. The silkies (4 of them) are about a week old and aren't too scared of me. I have one little lavender Araucana nicknamed stegalls (she looks like a tiny stegosaurus, and stegalls is a poultry meat company.) and she is very skittish, although she did snuggle on my mum's lap for an hour.

If I continue to cuddle and handle them gently will they be friendly? How do you raise chicks to be lap/house chickens?

 

[WallyBirdie]

Patience, attention, food, and a chicken that has a compatible personality.
I've never had silkies, but I've heard they're are friendly!
Goodluck and feel free to update us!

 

[Lovem all]

spend lots of time with them, talk to them, feed them, name them, pet them. As far as having one as a house chicken I'm just wondering why? It could end up being lonely without the others. Not opposed just curious

 

[The Backyard Bantams]

spend lots of time with them, talk to them, feed them, name them, pet them. As far as having one as a house chicken I'm just wondering why? It could end up being lonely without the others. Not opposed just curious

I don't plan on keeping a chicken indoors 24/7, what I mean is if a chicken is having a hard time or getting bullied, or just loves cuddles, it can sometimes sleep in the house and roam around with a diaper on, and when I'm busy and can't supervise it, it can go outside, either in the main coop if it isn't being bullied, or it's own little coop to get some fresh air and grass. I'd probably keep 2 if they were separate from the flock. I just realllllly want a snuggly chicken that can be inside a bit.

It can also be a broody mama if I want to hatch eggs. I'd likely choose a silkie.

 

[Lovem all]

Oooh okay I get it now. Yeah I'd do that too if I could lol. I have to warn you though when chickens start becoming more chickeny at the beginning of those several phases they don't want as much love as they used to but things will calm down. This upset/confused me when I had my first group but now I understand that teenagers just need to get over themselves and it's back to love and hugs.

 

[The Backyard Bantams]

shhh....even stegalls is asleep now..........my first batch of chickens (these chicks are my second) are about 8 months old. i have 3 bantam hens and a cockerel who needs a home. one of my hens is laying. she is a silkie cross but somehow has been laying an egg basically every day???!
i have a little spare coop for these chicks to go in once they are old enough, then they will go in with my other girls. I was planning on only getting bantams, but I got stegalls and the two EEs. will they be ok together?

 

[The Backyard Bantams]

Oooh okay I get it now. Yeah I'd do that too if I could lol. I have to warn you though when chickens start becoming more chickeny at the beginning of those several phases they don't want as much love as they used to but things will calm down. This upset/confused me when I had my first group but now I understand that teenagers just need to get over themselves and it's back to love and hugs.

Hoping they'll be friendly

They will all fall asleep on my lap, but are a little nervous around me in the brooder.

 

[yakitori]

I’ve been wondering how long chickens remember their pecking order. As in, if you let one roam around the house for a few days, then have her return to the coop for a few, would she be bullied again because the pecking order is reset?

 

[JaeG]

Let them run around and play on the floor with you sitting there with them. They will come and perch on you or dust bathe next to you. Feed them treats (in moderation) and just be someone they interact with because that makes you part of their flock.

Enjoy them.

 

[Sonya9]

I’ve been wondering how long chickens remember their pecking order. As in, if you let one roam around the house for a few days, then have her return to the coop for a few, would she be bullied again because the pecking order is reset?

I would imagine 5-7 days or more away from the flock gets risky, I try to keep it to 3 days max if there is an injury or a broody with new chicks etc...

Though if they are only in the house to socialize then I don't see why they couldn't visit the flock for part of the day. Makes no sense to keep them indoors for days on end when it isn't necessary.