taming your chickens

[Granny Hatchet]

all my "pets" are little bantams and my egg layers are sweet but the bantams dont care if they see me or not.

 

[JekkaLynn]

I have one word for you TREATS! Try as many different things as you can. Find out what they really LOVE and always have some with you when you go near them. Soon they will come running whenever they see you.

 

[BlueChick62]

wow, that is nice !  the best i can do is train them to poop on me. lol

Granny H. You're quite the comedian!

 

[Reinsaway]

Thankfully, for me taming my little hen has been the opposite.. She is afraid of NOTHING! She often attack the dogs, cats, and anyone who doesn't treat her like a total princess. She DEMANDS attention XP

 

[chickenchick99]

When dealing with chickens just remember they are ruled halfway by their stomaches and halfway by their survival instincts. Reward good behavior with treats and using your fingers to preen their feather. Ignore spooked/flighty behavior. And if you have a rooster NEVER let them think they are scaring/intimidating you(even if they really are terrifying you)

How do you preen their feathers? I don't know what this means

 

[Granny Hatchet]

when a chicken preens its feathers it is cleaning them by running each feather through its beak. i am assuming it means petting them ?

 

[kacklinghen]

I have one word for you TREATS! Try as many different things as you can. Find out what they really LOVE and always have some with you when you go near them. Soon they will come running whenever they see you.

so true, when they was younger rose was the only one who did go in coop for her mealie worms like the others (she knew coop door will close) so she slept in the little baby coop by herself with no treat. From then on she runs in with the others to get her treat and one of the first one in there...LOL

 

[ChickKeeper]

My chickens are mostly lap chickens so I'll share my experience. I don't have a huge flock and my chickens are pets and for eggs.

Some of them were bought 2 at a time and hand raised where I'm mommy to them also ones that need to be rescued from a hen that doesn't quite have everything figured out also get hand raised. Anytime I'm not busy they get to spend time with me cuddling on my lap/under my shirt wherever they feel comfortable, they have access to food and drink when they want or frequent breaks for food and drink if that's not an option. My current pair have a box with food and drink in the middle section of the couch they can get to whenever they want.

The hens that are allowed to brood and hatch their own chicks I visit them often. I bring treats. Handle often, but its a lot of time just sitting nearby offering them food and letting them know I'm not a monster. Eventually they decide on their own that I'm not a bad person and them jumping on my lap equals more rewards even if its just to be petted rather than food. Also when they are too big to fit under their mother hen I'll still cuddle them.
These are some of the ones from last year who had a mother besides me shortly before they got added in with the rest of the flock.They will still get on my lap if they have a chance and Red isn't around to kick them off. Red is a Rhode Island Red (not very creative on names) She is around 7 now and quite the character she will peck mine or any ones foot till she gets petted or picked up, and she will kick any of the younger hens off my lap.

I do have a few hens that were treated like the rest but never enjoyed being handled. Unless there is some reason they need to be handled I leave these hens alone since that is their preference. Animals each have their own personalities, and so there isn't one right answer for how to tame a chicken.

Even with regular food always available you can still offer treats by hand, fruit and vegetables, grass, weeds, depending on what you feed I know mine consider corn a treat or cornmeal mixed with water making a mash, or the big chickens get excited when they get some of the leftover chick starter when the babies are big enough to be switched to something other than crumbles. Start with it far enough away from you that they don't feel like they are going to get caught and over time move closer till they are willing to take things from your hand. Although don't be surprised if they want to just grab it and run.

 

[theartsypaul]

 how do you know how much to feed and that they all got enough? its not like goldfish, 5 min. and their done .lol
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I also keep feed down 24/7. How much do you give if we don't do that? I have 5 birds.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

hi, I guess it depends on so many things. Like if they free range, get table scraps,ect.. I have been keeping chickens for a while and havent figured that one out yet. I think it just comes with knowing your chickens well. Some take the food up at dusk and return it at day break I have continued to do the 24/7 because I still dont know.