Taming my backyard flock

[TattooedChicks]

I find that I get the most attention from my birds with a few things: routine, patience, and some times just ignoring them— it seems when I least want them at my feet there they are. Though all my birds were handled and touched from day one, some did not like it so I left them alone for several months. What had been skittish 8 week old chicks at the end of summer now let me pick them up with relative ease, and I can put my hands on all but the Sebrights, but I accept their proximity as a close compromise for the breed.

I spend a lot of time with my birds, and often just sit in a clean spot in the run and let them do as they wish. Treats are presented a few times a week, almost always in that calm pose and kept in my lap. They know what that means and will flock around me, perching on knees or feet and get their fill of attention. It’s pretty common to see a few sitting on me while I practice photography, even if a fat Cochin in my hair doesn’t make for a good shoot.

Another thing I do is weekly health checks at bed time, each bird in turn gets quietly held, touched and returned to the roost bar. This way all my interactions are relatively calm and quiet, building their trust with me out of habit.



https://instagram.com/p/Bb7uBs9nYW9/

https://instagram.com/p/BbkA-BvH8MN/