Tips for handling a skittish hen who hates to be touched

[Coops Dad]

Full disclosure- I don't handle our chickens unless I absolutely must, so my freak show hens aren't an issue unless I accidentally corner one.

 

[TheFugitivePen]

Thank you all so much for your tips and advice!
We were successfully able to handle Drama and remove the bumblefoot. She still hates being touched, but now she follows me around the yard during free range time. Chickens are so funny!

 

[kbroom]

I have a cross-beak wyandotte who needs beak trimming regularly and she HATES to be touched. I mean HATES it. We have to use a net to catch her and she squeals like a pig the whole time. She will even move away while roosting, so not as easy as just grabbing her at bedtime. We have to have 2 people any time we need to handle her, because she will hurt herself (or us) trying to get free. With that being said, towel over the head seems to work the best. Firm grip, securing the wings, towel covering eyes and tucking under an arm is how we handle her. That has worked for us, so def an advocate of the towel swaddling.

That sounds like a good idea for my Golden Wyandotte. The only problem with that is, she wounded badly on her left side, and pinning her left wing to her side with a towel is probably going to take more than two hands... I spray her wound, but from afar, which is probably not sufficient.

 

[kbroom]

I've been praying, and it looks like Sugar, my injured Golden Wyandotte, is going to pull through. She won't be pretty on her left side for a while, but I'll take it! Just knowing that she's healthy enough to run, drink and eat with my other girls makes my heart feel great! Every morning and every evening I spray her with one of the several medical sprays I had purchased for times like this. She is getting better. Egg production has lessened, but that's OK. My babies have been through some trauma, and that's to be expected.

 

[orelsi]

Some chickens freeze when you out cloth over their head. If you are lucky that might be all you need.