To hold or not to hold

[HensInTheForest]

Chicks are about 3 days old, only been here 12 hours now and some say don’t touch them at all for the first week or two.
Others say bond with them and hold them. Let them imprint on you.

What to do? Risks?
No young children here to harm them.
Don’t want to get them sick.

Constant hand washing already in place.

One Buff Orp has already been so friendly climbing up on my daughter And sitting with her.

Ameraucanas are just as friendly.

What have you done??

 

[Aunt Angus]

Hold them. They'll be fine!

 

[-Flash-]

Hold them, it won't hurt them!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'm in the hold camp. At the very least you will want to check them a few times a day for the first few days for pasty butt.

 

[kurby22]

These are all under a week old I’m in the hold as much as possible camp. It doesn’t guarantee super sweet and friendly adults, but they’re so much easier to treat for medications, bumblefoot, eye meds, etc., if they are accustomed to being handled by you. Just like other animals you plan to hold, manage, treat, feed, etc. it’s good to build that rapport. But I’m also in the “they’re all my pets” camp so I like that they are handled a lot

 

[HensInTheForest]

Thanks for all the answers! Hold it is!!