taming your chickens

[Granny Hatchet]

i have been raising chickens for a couple of years, incubating.hand feeding, holding them. i have never had one that wanted me to pick it up or jump in my lap. they are just like my children, they dont like me either. haha. any suggestions? i know their not cats but i have seen some awesome pictures on here of people and their chickens side by side

 

[Chicks Galore3]

I've found none of my chickens LIKE to be held, (except once when one got tangled in a net and when I set her free she just flopped in my arms.) I just sit in the coop/brooder and let them get used to me. Before long you'll have chickens all over you. (Prepare to get pooped on...)

 

[Sandstorm495]

They need to learn to trust you. They are easily scared of you because you are so much larger than they are but if you spend a lot of time with them, and hand feed them treats they will eventually get used to you, and won't mind being held. I always used to wrap mine up in a nappy with only their head poking out, and rock them to sleep.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

i hand feed as babies, they run as adults. i spend tons of time with them but its usually feeding, cleaning ect...

 

[realsis]

My chickens are lap chickens. When they are babies I start out holding them on my lap. Petting them until they purr and fall asleep. I've had great luck with this method in the past. Just got two more babies recently and one is already purring in my lap I'm still working on the other. She's coming along but not purring just yet. I'll my birds have been silkies and they have a exceptionally gentle personality. I guess I've been lucky to get really sweet birds. I have a 3 month old coming wed and that will be more difficult because she's older but I'll do the same routine with her. I also give treats. Hope this helps.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

i have some silkies too but i did not get them as babies. if you are able to tame the older one that would be pretty nice. perhaps you could let me know?

 

[Sandstorm495]

Older hens are obviously more difficult to tame, but not entirely impossible. They will get used to you over time, as long as you interact with them a lot, bring them treats and hold them (etc). Have you got chicks or do you have older hens\pullets?

 

[Granny Hatchet]

i have both and i have raised most of them from babies. they did eat out of my hand when little, now they run from me. how would i hold them short of chasing them down or catching them with a net? its a big coop

 

[Sandstorm495]

Go into the coop with a handful of feed and call to them while you are shaking the feed. Also, if you call to them in the same way every time you feed them, they will learn to come when it is their feed time.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

and that is probably the problem!! i keep food down for them 24/7 how do you know how much to feed and that they all got enough? its not like goldfish, 5 min. and their done .lol