Topic of the Week - Raising People Friendly Poultry

[the_peanut_coop]

From day one, I hold my chicks every hour. I put my hand in the brooder for the first day and let them get used to the sight of me. Then I try to hold them progressively without stressing them. All my birds enjoy cuddles and love and don't run away from me

 

[Dreamzchaser]

From day one, I hold my chicks every hour. I put my hand in the brooder for the first day and let them get used to the sight of me. Then I try to hold them progressively without stressing them. All my birds enjoy cuddles and love and don't run away from me

I held my first 6 from 3 days old but then they grew up and while building their coop,it was hard to pick them up. My EE would not come neither my NN. Everyone else come some times. still to this day. I was given 2 sebrights at 7wks old and I tried forever to get them but they are feisty. I can only touch them when they are roosting for the night or if they are in the nest box. That is the only times. They will not get mad or loud if they are in the nest box and I reach to touch them or grab anything from their bottom. I do lost a leghorn and a boy NN that I had to give away. Then by June, I was given 6, 3 leghorns and 3 GLWyndottes. They Wyndottes are complete terrorist and would not get along with the flock. They will terrorize everyone and abuse the Sebrights and NN and EE. They only one they will not stand up to is the ISA. She is the queen of the flock second is the RIR and big mama will protect them. However, had to give away one of the leghorns and the other 2 are fine with the flock nad have integrated well. But one of them, whom I call P2fa (Spanish for smurfette) sheswears she is a baby. As soon as I open the run door to go in, she just stands firm by the door until I pick her up. If I move her with my feet, she follows and gets in front of my feet. I have stepped on her twice and I get scare to hurt her. She does not get scare at all. All she wants is for me to pick her up.

This is the queen, Monica and she is the house speaker,I should call her Pelosi,lol


This my P2 in my lap


However, none of them will get up on my chair. It has been there since July 2021 and it is not covered. They know it is mami's chair,lol I turn small lights in the morning.

 

[BReeder!]

We just try to get around our chickens a ducks regularly. We are not aiming for every bird to be willing to sit in our lap, but friendly is important and aggression towards people is not tolerated. With 2 little kids (the human kind) it's important that the chickens and duck don't peck, bite, scratch, etc. We allow them to have their disputes amongst themselves, but with people it's friendly or feel free to stay out of people's way - act out of line and you become dinner.
That said, we raise chicks from hatch or just a few days old indoors with the kids involved in feeding and caring for (and petting) the birds. Several chickens allow the kids to run up and pick them up. The ducks just tolerate human presence generally, but will come running into the coop for feed if we step into there which is amusing for the kids (and very loud for us adults).

 

[The-White-Elephant]

From day one, I hold my chicks every hour. I put my hand in the brooder for the first day and let them get used to the sight of me. Then I try to hold them progressively without stressing them. All my birds enjoy cuddles and love and don't run away from me

What if the chicks hatch under a broody? Won’t the mama be protective?

 

[the_peanut_coop]

What if the chicks hatch under a broody? Won’t the mama be protective?

Well if they hatch under the broody the broody will have been trained by me as a chick already as well.

 

[The-White-Elephant]

Well if they hatch under the broody the broody will have been trained by me as a chick already as well.

Ah. What If the broody is a tame hen? Can I then handle the chicks?

 

[the_peanut_coop]

Ah. What If the broody is a tame hen? Can I then handle the chicks?

I don't know. All the chickens I've ever had super trust me because I raised them as chicks and they trust me with their chicks.

 

[The-White-Elephant]

I don't know. All the chickens I've ever had super trust me because I raised them as chicks and they trust me with their chicks.

Ah ok. I’ve raised mine as chicks as well, so hopefully!

 

[Show Sebright]

- How best to raise chicks to keep them tame and comfortable around humans and what about broody raised chicks?

Always handle them. Mom will learn your not going to hurt her babies. Hold them and flip them over on their back from a young age. Then they learn to trust you that you can flip them into affordable position and they are gonna be okay.

- How do you tame an adult bird?

Hand out with them. Just sit there in a small enclosed area on the ground. If after a few weeks the bird doesn’t really care you can start doing it later and towards evenings with the sun goes down then they are gonna come to you and look for shelter.

- What about cockbirds? How do you establish the human vs cockbird "pecking order"?

They peck you with you bop him on the head. No if or buts. Her jumps at you, jump at him. You need to be the more aggressive bird. once they know that you are dominate you can start working on your bond with them but they know you will be there to smack them down and you are still there to help them.


I bought Minnie at 6 months. She was not tame at all. But I sat with her every day and she grew really attached to me. She follows me now and will not leave my sight if we are somewhere new. at fair I thought Minnie got out of her cage and I was looking for her and she was just following me around and I didn’t even realize it for a while but she was coming back to me because other birds were scary and she wanted mom where she would be safe.

 

[The-White-Elephant]

- How best to raise chicks to keep them tame and comfortable around humans and what about broody raised chicks?

Always handle them. Mom will learn your not going to hurt her babies. Hold them and flip them over on their back from a young age. Then they learn to trust you that you can flip them into affordable position and they are gonna be okay.

- How do you tame an adult bird?

Hand out with them. Just sit there in a small enclosed area on the ground. If after a few weeks the bird doesn’t really care you can start doing it later and towards evenings with the sun goes down then they are gonna come to you and look for shelter.

- What about cockbirds? How do you establish the human vs cockbird "pecking order"?

They peck you with you bop him on the head. No if or buts. Her jumps at you, jump at him. You need to be the more aggressive bird. once they know that you are dominate you can start working on your bond with them but they know you will be there to smack them down and you are still there to help them.


I bought Minnie at 6 months. She was not tame at all. But I sat with her every day and she grew really attached to me. She follows me now and will not leave my sight if we are somewhere new. at fair I thought Minnie got out of her cage and I was looking for her and she was just following me around and I didn’t even realize it for a while but she was coming back to me because other birds were scary and she wanted mom where she would be safe.

I wish I could have let her when she was that small! How small was she?