To handle or not to handle??

[RM44]

I doubt you'll hurt them by handling them. I found I just didn't have enough time to handle each one every day, but I did pick out a few unwilling "victims" each day to get handled. As they got older, I began to grab my favorites every day, so some of them didn't get handled as much as others. Now at 21 weeks old, my "favorite" and the one I handled the most is one of the most shy ones that won't get within arm's length. I have found that when they start laying or are about to lay, they get much more affectionate. My one hen out of 11 that is laying will wait for me to approach her, and will squat and let me pet her. My one that is about to lay will come to me and let me stroke her back one time, and then she leaves. The rest have to be chased down to be petted, but once caught, they put up with the lovin'.

 

[ChickieBonBon]

Mine are only 5 weeks old and this is my first time with chicks so take it for what it is worth, but I try holding mine at least once a day. I only have 6 which makes it a little easier. They have started to get used to it and it seems like they associate it with good things now (getting a treat, going in the garden...). Two of my silkies are not terribly fond of being held so I hold them together. It seems to calm them down a bit when they are near another chick and I am already noticing a difference. How could you not want to hold the cute lil' things!!

Oh...holding them frequently has also been good for me as a newbie because I think I am better able to notice changes.

 

[RM44]

Quote:
Excellent point! As a chicken owner, you will want to periodically inspect the pads of their feet, their eyes, their vents, possibly their throats (for gapeworms). The more they are handled, the more they will get used to being picked up for inspections. I can remember when I first got chickens back in July '09, I had no idea how to even grab them or hold them. I was fascinated and impressed with the guy I purchased from, because he could run them down and scoop them up. You need to handle them enough that you will eventually be comfortable grabbing/scooping them up for emergency inspections, etc.

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

I began with our first chicks checking for pasty butt...now that they are 5 weeks old they let me hold them...even turned one on her back this week to put a leg band on. When I open the door to their Chick-n-Hutch, there is a rush to see who gets to be held first. I let one at a time out and they sit on my lap or hand talking to me in a low voice.

The 3wk old BO have always acted like I was going to murder them! Go figure...otherwise they are the calmest of the chicks.

The youngest 11 are 2 weeks old and my loudest bunch. In this group the SLW are a hoot...if I do not pick them up while I'm doing their feeder and water, they will fly up and rest on my arm/hand or the side of brooder waiting for me to take them. I have had as many as 4 sitting on my hands/arms at one time. They talk to me in lil low peeps. One EE is shy but she stands in line waiting for me to pick her up...she relaxes as soon as I pick her up and when I put her on my arm/hand she settles in and goes to sleep...she also likes to climb on my chest to snuggle. The other two EE are not interested but the BR have begun to stand in line waiting their turns...one has joined the SLW in flying up and landing on my hand.

DH can not believe how they react to me; told him they know who mama is

 

[silkiechick05]

My silkies never learned to like me...

 

[Ariel301]

We have handled ours daily since we got them at 3 days old. It doesn't seem to have hurt them any. I've got a turkey poult right now that has bonded to me so much he doesn't like the others and rides around in my coat pocket when I go anywhere. We keep our chicks in the bathroom until they are big enough to go outside and we make a point of handling them and talking to them a lot. We play music for them during the night and when we are not home, and they really do seem to like it. When I turn it on, they all settle down for a nap right next to the speaker. The older ones outside will swarm around us when we go in their pen, and fly up to sit on our shoulders because they are used to being held.

 

[NurseELB]

Oh my gosh! I didn't know that! My week old chicks (I have 2) spend all day with me! They are napping on my chest as we speak! I don't THINK they are stressed, I HOPE I'm not hurting them, I just want them to be friendly!