Jh2Owen
In the Brooder
- Mar 27, 2017
- 11
- 0
- 14
My family recently adopted two hens there were about to be homeless. We found out as we were picking them up, they also came with 4 brand new (3 days old) baby chicks along with 8 eggs still to hatch.
I don't think the hens were around people very much - their owner just left them in the coop and really didn't do much with them. I'm not sure he even collected all the eggs b/c I saw a bunch on the ground smashed when we got there.. so sad.
We haven't done much with them yet as my husband started to build a new coop that would fit all of them b/c the one that was given to us (their old home) is .. for lack of a better word... in shambles.
Fingers crossed he can get the new one done today. He's a bit of a perfectionist.
So - we've left them in their old coop while my husband builds their new one and we just peak in on them a few times a day.
But the hens are VERY protective of the baby chicks and the eggs and I'm not about to mess with a momma and her babies.
On to my question- We want the chickens to me more like pets to our family. We'd like to handle the baby chicks as much as possible to get them comfortable with us but I'm kind of terrified of the hens.
Are the hens a lost cause as far as socializing with humans? I really don't think they are very old.
And whats the best way to socialize the baby chicks w/o being attacked by momma?
Thanks for any suggestions. I have never been around chickens so I am feeling a bit lost!!
Here are some pics I snapped last night.
There are eggs in the basket still to hatch - I can't get anywhere near the basket to take them out. And we will be transferring them to the new coop soon so I just though I'd leave them in the basket until we get them moved - is that an OK idea?
I don't think the hens were around people very much - their owner just left them in the coop and really didn't do much with them. I'm not sure he even collected all the eggs b/c I saw a bunch on the ground smashed when we got there.. so sad.
We haven't done much with them yet as my husband started to build a new coop that would fit all of them b/c the one that was given to us (their old home) is .. for lack of a better word... in shambles.
Fingers crossed he can get the new one done today. He's a bit of a perfectionist.
So - we've left them in their old coop while my husband builds their new one and we just peak in on them a few times a day.
But the hens are VERY protective of the baby chicks and the eggs and I'm not about to mess with a momma and her babies.
On to my question- We want the chickens to me more like pets to our family. We'd like to handle the baby chicks as much as possible to get them comfortable with us but I'm kind of terrified of the hens.
Are the hens a lost cause as far as socializing with humans? I really don't think they are very old.
And whats the best way to socialize the baby chicks w/o being attacked by momma?
Thanks for any suggestions. I have never been around chickens so I am feeling a bit lost!!
Here are some pics I snapped last night.
There are eggs in the basket still to hatch - I can't get anywhere near the basket to take them out. And we will be transferring them to the new coop soon so I just though I'd leave them in the basket until we get them moved - is that an OK idea?
Last edited: