When can we play with them!!!

[waddell5farm]

So we have some chicks that hatched today and i was wondering when we can start to pick them up and play with them! And if we took them away into the house to play with them would the mothers not take them back? Or would we have to stay in the coop to play with them! Please help

Thanks Waddell Family

 

[gamebirdsonly]

if the chicks just barely hatched I would not handle them much for first couple days.

 

[haylee]

I wouldn't play with them right away, I would wait until they were a few days old. Maybe taking the chicks away and giving them back would stress the mother. Just wait a few days and handle them in the coop.

 

[The Chickeneer]

I agree, wait a few days, and even when they are old enough, don't play with them too hard or handle them too much or you can stress them out which makes them vulnerable to a variety diseases. The mom needs to take care of them right now, and taking the chicks out could kill them because they are so little and weak, so I would wait 5 days or so when they can run around.

 

[showjumper_girl2002]

I hatched mine in an incubator and have them in a brooder, not with a mother hen so not sure about the taking them away from mom. But I held mine a little after they fuzzed up and have handled them every day since so they imprint on me. You just have to make sure they stay really warm so they don't get cold. As long as your gentle and careful to watch how they act (like if they huddle they are too cold) you should be fine. Since I've handled mine since the day they hatched they think I'm mom and come when they're called and follow me around. they are 8 days old now and are as healthy as can be for the first couple days I would only handle them for a little bit at a time though. Now that mine are a little older I have them with me for hours at a time and they love it! Have fun with your new baby chicks!

 

[haylee]

I hatched mine in an incubator and have them in a brooder, not with a mother hen so not sure about the taking them away from mom. But I held mine a little after they fuzzed up and have handled them every day since so they imprint on me. You just have to make sure they stay really warm so they don't get cold. As long as your gentle and careful to watch how they act (like if they huddle they are too cold) you should be fine. Since I've handled mine since the day they hatched they think I'm mom and come when they're called and follow me around. they are 8 days old now and are as healthy as can be

for the first couple days I would only handle them for a little bit at a time though. Now that mine are a little older I have them with me for hours at a time and they love it! Have fun with your new baby chicks!

Yeah, Waddell5farm, maybe you should set up your chicks in a brooder. That way it won't stress the mother hen by constantly removing and putting back the chicks and you can play with them all the time.

 

[waddell5farm]

Thanks for all your thoughts. We have left the chicks alone with mom as she seems to be very protective and doing a great job caring for them herself. We are definitely enjoying watching them grow and adventure around.