What chicken breeds are best for holding/tame?

[SandyK]

I would say a lot has to do with how well they are held and loved when they are chicks. My girls line up to be held, sometimes 3 or 4 are piled together trying to sit in my lap at once. Silly girls

 

[PekinFluff]

My Pekin bantams are always the friendliest of my chickens! Some of them will run over to you when you walk outside and others jump up on your lap if they have the chance, happy for a scratch under their chin or even on their backs sometimes. Of course there are some who aren’t like that, and prefer to avoid people but generally they’re really friendly.

 

[CindyinSD]

None of my hens or pullets are into being held, but I haven’t honestly tried very hard. As chicks they really didn’t want holding though I held them very lightly. I think maybe the secret may be just letting them sit there on their own. On a few occasions when I’ve tried this, the reaction was more positive. We have three house dogs though, who find the babies fascinating so it’s not often I try that. TBH, I never purposed to make pets of them. When they see or hear me, they come running. That’s good enough for me.

 

[CindyinSD]

Oh yes... I’ve been told by several knowledgeable sources that Speckled Sussex are the best pet chickens of all. I’m gonna have to get some in spring.

 

[HomesteadDeb]

My barred rocks are much friendlier than my PBBs or my Green Egger. They tend to be a little pecky, but don't fuss a lot about being picked up. My littlest one will forego treats in preference of climbing on my shoulder. But I handled mine from 2 days old, and I'm sure that makes a huge difference.

 

[David61]

My buff Orpingtons are sweet but my two barred rocks are nosey. They want to come see anything i'm doing. Sit right on my shoulder and watch.

 

[JoCoKS]

What chicken breeds are best for holding/ human interaction? I have been curious and been wanting to know based off of your experience. Thank you and happy holidays!

My Salmon Faverolles are really wonderful and very much like to be around me. My wife loves watching them run or fly to get to where I am even if it is just in our Atrium door. I can pick them up off the ground and pet them or when they squat on the ground. My favorite is the hen I named Sweetie because she really likes attention. I was fixing the cedar shingles on the house in their garden area holding the new shingles with my left hand and I found Sweetie resting on my arm. I enjoy interacting with them and they with me so we all have a great time. Since it has gotten cold it is hard to spend a lot of time with them outside so I bought a diaper for all three hens so I can bring them in the house. I had three Rhode Island Reds till they were stolen so my wife was use to really big eggs and a lot of them since the Salmon Faverolles lay small eggs she is not crazy about that because she is not sure how many little eggs to use in a recipe.

 

[ijon]

My heritage Buckeye are very friendly birds.

 

[ariri30]

The chicks I want to handle have never had any calm reaction when picked up. I try to catch them, but they cluck and flap their wings to get away. I have only succeeded once, when the chicks were small enough to under their old coop in their pen.I picked it up, it acted as if it were wild. They was hatched and raised by a broody hen. They were kept with their mom to learn how to forage and other chicken things. The two breeds I am certain are in the brood are leghorns and barred/Plymouth rock. They look like adults, but are still not laying eggs. Still too young.

Usually chicks raise by chicken mom are more wild but I noticed with mine that after they get older they become friendlier. I have dutch bantam and they all fly to roost on me when I pay them a visit in their run. They love to be pet hug and kiss

 

[pslane]

What chicken breeds are best for holding/ human interaction? I have been curious and been wanting to know based off of your experience. Thank you and happy holidays!

In my experience, almost all chickens will make good tame pets if they are incubator and brooder raised. Mama hens teach their chicks to be afraid.