# socializing my babies



## Rhandi (Mar 7, 2014)

I've had my babies for 2 weeks now. i hold them everyday and sit by their enclosure, but they are still so freaked out when i try to pick them up. is this normal? should i be doing something different? it makes me sad that they are still so scared! i don't care if they don't come running like my dogs, i just want them to not be afraid when I try to hold them.


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## realsis (Jan 13, 2013)

Keep consistent with holding and petting them daily. They should soon calm down and start enjoying it. Don't let their behavior now stop you from holding them. I held my babies since I got them and now they are laying age and the friendliest hens! They love to sleep on my stomach and they purr when I pet them. When a chicken is really happy they will purr. The proper name is trilling. Just don't give up. It will pay off. The breed of chicken might also play a big part in how loving they will actually be one too. Some breeds are more high strung than others. I have silkies and they are a exceptionally friendly docile breed by nature. However even other breeds can be socialized by handling gently and petting on a daily basis. Your efforts will pay off in the long run. Another thing I've noticed with mine is they become even more friendly after they start laying. I've noticed this as well. I handled mine since babies and now they love to be handled. They should start coming around at around three months old. Mine were sleeping on me by about that age. I hope this helps. Just keep working with them gently and tenderly and they should soon come to trust you. Best wishes


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## BamaChicks (Mar 24, 2014)

Ours were a little skittish also. We started hand feeding them dried meal worms. Now when they hear our voices they come running. We have some that love to sit on our arms and hands. 


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## Rhandi (Mar 7, 2014)

Thank you! Hopefully mine will get used to us! They ave figured out feeding time and come to us, and they are very young...appreciate the great advice


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## BamaChicks (Mar 24, 2014)

This is our chick, Ugly sitting on my son's arm. She will be 4 wks old tomorrow. She is the sweetest and loves to be held. When we remove the cover from the chicks, you better be ready for her because she is coming to be held whether we are ready or not.

We also have 3wk old ducklings and bantams that love to be held and pose for pictures. 








Ours have really gotten a lot friendlier within the last week or so. Good luck! These are our first flock and we are kind of learning as we go. We bought 12 and so far they are all doing great. I've already got some Americauna's ordered. We've gotten hooked on chickens!!

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## anakonia (Mar 23, 2014)

As with all birds the younger they are when you start out with them the better. Many pay higher prices for hand fed baby parrots because they are already imprinted on humans and far easier to tame then a bird that is partly grown and never really been handled. I don't just have chickens, but a love bird and a parakeet that is learning to talk. I like to have my chickens very tame so I start out with them as young as I can get them and handle them daily. I often snuggle them in my shirt like up agains my belly as I sit and do things like read or hand sew and this helps a lot. I'd poke at the food and cluck like a hen and hand feed them bits of bread. I also raise them in a cage in my living room where we spend lots of our time through out the day. Lots of hand feeding will help them trust those hands and tame them up. I suggest you figure out a call and use it every time you call them and give them food when you do! They will remember it even in their adult years and still come running. Being their Momma really is the key. Seriously. I've been doing this for years and people marvel at the way my chickens are so tame. May sound crazy but it works. Even if thy are not really little you still can work on them and get good results. I have found if one trusts the others tend to follow the lead in coming to get bites of bread from your hands. Lots of handling and lots of feeding them by hand. Hope this makes sense. Anyways this has worked very well for me.


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## TheChickenGuy (Jan 29, 2014)

The trick in animal training is consistency. Keep doing it as often as possible and they'll get use to you.


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## hildar (Oct 3, 2013)

realsis said:


> Keep consistent with holding and petting them daily. They should soon calm down and start enjoying it. Don't let their behavior now stop you from holding them. I held my babies since I got them and now they are laying age and the friendliest hens! They love to sleep on my stomach and they purr when I pet them. When a chicken is really happy they will purr. The proper name is trilling. Just don't give up. It will pay off. The breed of chicken might also play a big part in how loving they will actually be one too. Some breeds are more high strung than others. I have silkies and they are a exceptionally friendly docile breed by nature. However even other breeds can be socialized by handling gently and petting on a daily basis. Your efforts will pay off in the long run. Another thing I've noticed with mine is they become even more friendly after they start laying. I've noticed this as well. I handled mine since babies and now they love to be handled. They should start coming around at around three months old. Mine were sleeping on me by about that age. I hope this helps. Just keep working with them gently and tenderly and they should soon come to trust you. Best wishes


I have always wondered if there was a name for that purring noise. I love to hear them do that.


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## Rhandi (Mar 7, 2014)

All the chicks are very friendly now. They run to us rather then run away, I guess they just needed another week to calm down. I also think the hand feeding really helped but mine do not like mealworms. Thank you for all the input .


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## BamaChicks (Mar 24, 2014)

Ours go crazy over bread. We tear them off small pieces and they will race to see who can get it first- they will even fly up to grab it before the others can. 


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## TheChickenGuy (Jan 29, 2014)

When it comes to animal training, consistency is the key.


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## ifyousaygo (Mar 24, 2014)

Thankful for this thread! Was wondering the same thing about my chicks. We will keep on keeping on, then.


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