Kitchen Garden Forum

Our chicks are now 2 weeks old and Clarrie (our Orpington hen) is doing a very good job bringing them up. I am dying to hold the chicks but when I go near she clucks and takes them indoors so I have not persude it. So when do you think in your opinion would it be a good time to try and tame them up. (I know you all must think I am crazy and my husband does call me 'snow white' but I would love them to be more tame than my other 2 hens. My friend next door (who is not a lover of animals) has 4 hens that come running to her and she is able to lift them up and carry them anywhere, I on the other hand have 2 hens that will come to me but do not like to be held.

I've been told, although I've never had the time to do this, that if you go and sit for while in the chicken run/shed on a daily basis, they will soon be using you like a perch. Once they are happy with standing on you, you can hold them and pick them up easily.

I used to go into the chicken shed late in the evening when my birds, who weren't tame, were half asleep and by pushing my arm under them I could get them to step onto my arm and I could carry them around like that.

Patience I think is the key word here. Good luck

Thank you Chantal for your advise, I too move the chickens when they have roosted as they are quiet then. My speckeldy hen lets me stroke her then next time runs like mad. (typical woman my hubby says)

Thank you very much for your help Chantal. Our Speckeldy hen lets me stroke her then next time runs like mad to get away (typical woman my hubby says)

Hello PaV
Like you I'd always thought that the more you were with your hens then the more friendly they would become. Over many years though I've come to think that there is something in the nature of the bird - they either have a friendly disposition or they don't.
Birds that we've hatched with our own broodies and even our Freisian hen that was raised by hand have been distinctly unfriendly. Yet our other birds from large flocks at the chicken dealers have become extremely friendly. All I can say is that hybrids seem far more likely to be friendly than pure breeds in our experience.

John

Try sitting near the mum whilst holding a handful of mealworms or other such treat - if you can get the mum to eat out of your hand then you are halfway there. The chicks will copy.
Or you could just wade straight in and gently pick up a chick just for a few seconds and place it down again. Get the mum hen used to you picking up her babies and she'll soon see that you mean them no harm. Scatter a few mealworms or suchlike to take her mind off the possible kidnapping of her babies
Stick at it though and in time the chicks will become used to being handled and mum will see that you aren't hurting them.

Thank you all for your help will let you know how I get on. Thank you again PAV