To handle or not to handle

[tsuninight]

GlaDOS = the cuddle bug. Wants to sit on my shoulder and sleep in my lap. Seriously possibly the sweetest chicken ever.
Peep = friendly not a whole lot of fear of being caught and handled. Will wander right up and make herding the chickens where I want them more difficult by wandering slowly the wrong direction and looking at me and hoping for treats. She's a really nice girl.
Cadbury = no interest in humans. Even the last one to come up for treats, but once caught just seems annoyed, but not particularly put out.
Betty = humans are evil stomping godzilla that occasionally bring awesome treats. When caught and eventually released looks like she stuck her foot in a light socket and panting.

The above is the personality of my chickens, and after chasing Betty around the yard 3 times in order to catch her to look at her legs I wondered if it would be better to handle her every evening until she stops being such a spaz, or if it's a lost cause and I should just catch her when I need to?

My mere presence doesn't cause Betty to go into a nervous breakdown, but she does not like being caught, or having us touch her... and man oh man can that bird book it when motivated.


So is it better to handle them regularly until they stop caring as much, or just catch them when I need to prevent daily stress?

 

[foxmfan1]

Im a newbie, but I think it is better to handle them as often as possible. but i guess it depends on what you are raising them for?

 

[tsuninight]

breakfast (eggs), and to be a strike team of bug destroying feathered ninjas.
So really just, pets.

We joke about making one of them lunch every once and awhile, but I don't think I could do it. I'm too much of a sucker. I prefer all my meat pre-processed and from the grocery store and always without a face.

 

[nbenevento]

Every chicken pretty much has a different personality just like people. Of my 6 adult birds, 4 will let me pick them up with relative ease, 1 isn't thrilled about it and 1 would sooner jump off a cliff before letting me come even close to grabbing her. I tried to make nice with her after I would get her several times but she still won't have it if by choice. My advice is stop chasing her unless you have to. If you want to check her out every once in a while for health reasons, wait until dusk and take her off the roost. Otherwise, let her be.

 

[tsuninight]

For the most part the only place I chase them is into the coop at night, and that one is pretty non-negotable for me. I don't want them them to be eaten by something that got into my yard at night.... though I'm not sure why I think the day is so much safer... but it is what it is. The last few nights they've actually all gone in by themselves right before dark. I'd prefer to just walk out there put their water and food in the coop and close the door to keep them safe for the night.

This time I wanted to look at her legs to take pictures, because I'm still trying having that "new chicken parent' thing going on with loads of paranoia about roosters and my neighbors getting annoyed. I don't have the egg payoffs going on yet! heh.

Leaving her be may be the way to go since she really does act like I'm trying to kill her when we catch her. Peep & GlaDOS don't mind it though so I may just keep picking on them a little more and maybe Betty will come around, and maybe she won't. I'm okay having oan unsocial bird

 

[foxmfan1]

breakfast (eggs), and to be a strike team of bug destroying feathered ninjas.
So really just, pets.

We joke about making one of them lunch every once and awhile, but I don't think I could do it. I'm too much of a sucker. I prefer all my meat pre-processed and from the grocery store and always without a face.

ok well in your case i would recommend, the most handling, I am like you too I want my ladies to be more for egg laying, and pest, weed control. first day they got home, I was holding them and trying to get them used to me. They are like any other "pet" just get them used to a schedule, and to people and they will be fine. I got my ladies in march, and its been so much fun to see them grow. From day one I talked to them and used the same words, , when i fed them id say pio pio and shake the feeder before i put it down, when i wanted them to get on my hand i would peck at the ground just under their belly and kinda force them up onto my hand, the more you interact with them, the easier it gets. But I have to warn you, if you follow my instructions, you will ONLY end up with VERY SPOILED chickens : ) My ladies follow me around talking chicken speak to me, I walk outside, they all run out of the coop, into their run, peep eep pee squawk cak eep eep, lol. And just a lil advice if they are gunna b more for pets, just make sure they have a very secure pen. MY bf and I are so attached to our chickaladies, it would be devasting if anything happened to them. YOu didnt say what breeds your chix were?

 

[tsuninight]

hah! Spoiled isn't a problem. I'm pretty sure they're already that.

1 Barred Rock (Peep)
1 Rhode Island Red (Cadbury)
1 White Ameraucana (that from what I've read in posts is probably wheaten and an EE) (GlaDOS)
1 Polish (Betty)