What are some good ways to help my baby chicks bond to me?

[xadika]

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[chickenhick]

Well....I have only been a chick freak for about a year, but I find that if you just SLOWLY put your hand in the brooder and DON"T pick them up, they will get used to it. ALso, dip the tip of your finger in the water and then dip your finger in their feed. They will peck the feed off your finger and will get the hint that the hand is a GOOD thing. Also, talk to them with a certain phrase...like I say "chick..chick...chickeeeeeze" every time I check on them. THey get used to that sound and associate it with you. Hope this helps!

 

[alagary]

Just give it time . I never did anything special and now my one-legged girl rides around on the golf cart with me . In no time you will be god with a bucket .

 

[WalkingWolf]

Be careful what you wish for. I have one right now that I have named PITA. She could not get along with the other chicks, she either picked on or was picked no matter what stage of chicks I tried to put her with. My wife started holding her and now she is a problem. She insists on being held and will throw herself against the brooder until picked up and held. She truly thinks she is a person. She is sitting on my shoulder with a towel at the moment.

 

[purecountrychicken]

Handle them,,play with them. Like any other animal,,the more you interact /play with them the more they get to know you and trust you.

 

[chickenhick]

Well that's why I said don't necessarily pick them up. Just let them know the hand is not a bad thing. Mine follow my like a dog and fly up on my shoulder. But they don't get silly about it. Sounds like you've got a real lover on your hands!

 

[sangel4you]

I was wondering this same thing... I have white leghorns and I know they aren't the most social birds, but I want to at least not have them run away fro me when their grown and I go out to feed and hopefully pick them up once in awhile! They're almost 3 weeks and still do the run to the other side of the brooder thing. They ate a very FEW crumbs out of my hand about two days ago but that was it. And today I wanted to exam one of the girls so I got her out and after I examined her, I held her against me and rbbed her head until her little heart stopped pounding, and she actually eventually fell asleep on my arm and didnt try to fly away when I removed my "wing" hand. But I still had to fight to get her out, and even after all that she ran away from my hand the next time I put it in the brooder. :-(

 

[xadika]

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[chickenhick]

Quote:
I say just put your hand in there several times a day and try the wet finger tip with the feed on it. They will begin to see that the hand is good. Also, just brush you fingers up against them gently. Pick them up once in a while, but only briefly. Who knows...I'm no chicken expert!!!!!! I just love em.

 

[sangel4you]

lol I guess that's where it all starts!