Socializing- Please Help!

[melissa a]

Socializing- Please Help!
Hello- I was wondering if anyone that has 25 plus chicks has a routine for handling chicks so they start to become attached to you? I keep reading posts from people that say their chicks follow them around at 2 wks/ 3wks, but they have only a couple chicks to tend to.

I got my 34 Cochin chicks (4 standard size and the rest are Bantams) on Monday. I had to order st. run and ordering on line had to order at least 25. I don’t plan on keeping any roosters- ultimately I will keep 10-12 pullets (once I know which are pullets I will sell the others). I want my chickens to be pets as well as egg layers.

My chicks tend to follow the crowd and act differently every day. I have been picking them up to clean up pasting every day, but it is hard for me to keep track of who I held or not without putting a divider in the brooder. Well, they’ve learned that when the divider shows up that they are going to get picked up. Over the course of the week all except 5 or 6 started to warm up to me coming over to me and pecking my hand when checking temp or saying hi throughout the day, but when it was time to be picked up they freak out and clump together and run like crazy. As days pass the more they run from me the more they are scared of me again- are they just getting more aggressive as they get older? They flap around, wiggle so much I can barely hold them (they've always done this). Should I continue to chase them around to catch each one to give it some individual attention? How much time should I be spending with them each day? I feel like I have been spending all my free time with them (5 hrs or so a day).

I would really appreciate any help! I posted on another forum and had one post- she wasn’t sure but her book said that between 12-16 wks is when the chicken should be handled to become a pet.

Thanks!
Melissa

 

[cookie_chick]

my chickie (i only have 1) started to follow me around at the age of 2 days!
now she wont leave me alone or anything
u should take one chickie out for about 10 minutes
get another for another 10
and continue that till u get through each and every chick
continue that the next day
if u want them more times a day the most is 3 each chick and do it at least an hour apart it gives them a rest

 

[melissa a]

Thanks for the thoughts... I have been taking each one out at least twice a day because I have to check for "pasting up". They tend to look at me and listen to me for the most part, but then after about a full minute or so they start to wiggle so much (they are hard to hold!) and cheap loudly until I put them back down. They also tend to feed off of each other, so if one freaks out and is scared they all start acting that way.

I did start to do the treat thing, which really helped. I gave them some hardboiled egg, organic whole wheat bread and green leaf lettuce (different times throughout yesterday and today). I think I will just have to work at it each day and be patient. Most will come over to me and a few will hop up on my arms.

Today we had some serious pecking order/ dominance issues. I had to cull two- I took one to the feed store, then figured out there is another that is pecking everyone. I sectioned off part of the brooder and put that one it in alone. The hatchery said to leave him alone for a few days and see if the chick will stop. The others are still doing it from time to time, so I think when I put the other back in it will start up again and I will have to take him to the feed store as well.

For all that viewed my post and didn't reply (even for support) I found some good sites for taming:

www.angelfire.com/oh/Zebr...aming.html

home.earthlink.net/~velve...SChick.htm

home.centurytel.net/theci...asked.html

http://www.freewebs.com/professorchicken/feeding.htm

Thanks again Cookie_chick for replying. I really appreciate that! It is frustrating that people want answers to their questions, but reply to others to help or just offer some kind of support!

 

[edbama2]

The isolation for a few days is the way that I cured it. I had over 120 chicks at one time. They were not all the same age so there was alot of pecking order going on. Some of it is natural, you have to be the judge if it is out of hand.

Good Luck!

 

[cookie_chick]

thanks im a newbie and im not sure ive made quite a few post just trying to help and to get answers

mostly because im only 11 so some things confuzzle me

 

[CarriBrown]

Hi Melissa-
The treats do help for sure!! I've found that just sitting and talking with them helps, too. The more positive exposure they get with you the better.

 

[melissa a]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the help and support! I will leave the little culprit alone for a few days. The others are still pulling feathers on the head every once in a while. I hope this doesn't throw the one in isolation in to a fit again when I put him back with the others. If it does I will get rid of him.

Thanks again!!