Should me and my friends handle the chicks a lot when they are little?

Date sort Score sort
CovertS2

CovertS2

In the Brooder
7 Years
Apr 21, 2012
34
4
32
I am a first time chick owner and my friends are dying to meet them. Is it a good or bad thing to handle chicks when they are young? I want them to be friendly when they grow up. Will they specifically remember 1 person?
 
I only handled my chicks (once a day) after they were 5 days old because they need their rest. (Then I started holding them more when they were 1-2 weeks old)

If they are held too much they could be stressed out and could get sick easily, I learned. It's like with mother hens, they (chicks) go out from under the heat, and go munch on some food with their mother (or just themselves in this case) then they'll have nap time, and re-do the process.

In my experience chickens will remember anyone who gives them cat treats, or lettuce; Also if you are the one that feeds them.

Welcome to BYC! Good question
frow.gif
 
They are soo Hard to resist ! I have young grand children and I do make them look more than touch the First week as they are so Fragile .. But I will admit to having to cuddle some of them sometimes I just can not stop myself
jumpy.gif
 
Hello and welcome! I handled my chicks since they were three days old, but for the first week, it was for a minute or two each at the most to avoid stressing them out. I'd scoop them up one by one and talk softly to them, then set them back in the brooder. Once they were between one and two weeks, I started bringing them out and sitting them on my lap (on a towel!) for a few minutes each. By three and a half to four weeks, several of the chicks would fall asleep in my lap while I watched TV.

All of my feathered kids seem very healthy, but I would agree with JerseyGiantFolk - don't overdo it.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom