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druids57

Am I ready for the next stage?

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Hi I am completly besotted with my girls and yes you were all right nohing else seems to get done :oops: Since getting them Saturday they are eating from my hand with me popping it in the run. They seem to be calm happy and answer me when I cluck cluck at them :oops: The five days confinement will be up on Saturday and we plan to let them out for a while- now I have never picked up a chicken although was shown how to when I collected them will i be able to move forward and do this? Im terrified at the prospect :cry:

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We had never picked up a chicken before our own either. Just make sure you hold their wings down nice and firmly, if they flap and they catch you with a clipped wing, it can scratch a little.

 

Lots of people will tell you that the best time to let them have their first roam around is half an hour before bedtime, they won't go far from their run, but that will all change in time.

 

Good luck. :wink:

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Why don't you get them out (one at a time) one evening and get used to handling them when they are quieter and ready for bed. That way it won't be so stressful for you and the hens.

 

I had never handled a chicken before we got our girls and that was what I was advsed to do.

 

Jan

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It is so exciting to let them out the first time! My girls went out for the first time last Friday - and I let them out about 1 hour before dusk. Three of them came out of the cube straight away, the 4th one (Caroline) couldn't figure out where they were and took about 10 minutes to find the door and join them.

 

I literally sit with them in the run - usually with a cup of tea - and they just peck about my feet and keep very close. One of the Pepperpots is quite nervous and flaps her wings in fright at ANYTHING - scaring all the others.

 

Dogs gradually getting used to them - or rather the chickens getting used to the dogs and ignoring them.

 

I hardly ever pick the girls up - Nan will jump up on my lap, but the others just stay very close. I try and give them about 10-15 minutes free range first thing in the morning (about 6.45) when I clean their cage, then another 15 minutes out at lunchtime and about 30 minutes again at night. Weekends will hopefully be able to give them a good few hours. So far everything working fine!

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I waited for mine to go to bed, shut the eglu door and waited for them to settle for half an hour or so. They are sleepy and you can pull one out at a time from the egg port. Quick cuddle then pop back in and get the next out. Do wear long sleeve top - young chicken nails are very sharp and can scratch.

 

Don't be afraid to hold them firmly (but not squashed to death).

 

To be honest, I don't really pick mine up a lot now. Did at first but not so much now. But it is good to know how pick them up so you can check them over periodically for mites, or feed them worming medecine individually.

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It took me 2 weeks to try & pick one of my girls up. Even now Poppy isn't best pleased at being handled, while Buzz will sit on knees 8)

To get the hens back into the run I have a red plastic dog food bowl that my chooks associate with treats. I only have to appear with it in my hand & my girls would follow me to the ends of the earth.

Mealworms (dried or fresh, I use dried *shudder*)are a safe bet to put hens back into the run safely

 

:D

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Easy peasy........treats.....treats ......treats......

 

Buy a 25Kg sack of mixed corn - it will last ages. Don't go bonkers though it's like sweeties (makes them fat). But I throw a small handful in the run, they follow, and I close the run.

 

Also get yourself a nice heavy china dog bowl (one they can't knock over when they jump on it). Always use it for any treats (like cooked rice, pasta, peelings, cooked potato skins etc). My lot rush over to me every time I even go near the treat bowl and I just carry it into the run.......trying very hard not to tread on a chicken 'cos they will be under your feet......and in they go.

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Get them used to treats and you'll have no problems getting them back in the run. Ours will follow their treat bowl anywhere and mobbed my toddler yesterday when he picked it up. He found the whole experience really exciting and was giggling like crazy.

 

If you are worried about picking them up for the first time, wait until they have been roosting for about an hour so that they are nice and sleepy then pick one up through the egg port. It's daunting at first but is quite easy when you've got your confidence.

 

Most of ours don't like being picked up but Poppy our littlest is always looking for a cuddle and often has to be picked up to give the others a chance to get some treats

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Im so glad you said" through the eggport" I was having visions of sliding in through the run on the eglu to get them out at night and having to be rescued in the morning (My size 10 days are long gone :lol: Will give it a try - so much to learn but all good fun Thanks everyone without you I would be wishing I had got a puppy instead :roll:

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It's much better to be firm but gentle...I found that my tentative efforts just made them flap about, but mine do seem to like a firm hand! I try to make the effort to pick mine up at least once a day for a stroke, and get my toddler to come and stroke them too so they are used to being handled - she almost managed to pick Nutmeg up off the floor yesterday!!

 

All the more important since mine still prefer to roost on the barbeque rather than go into the Eglu at night :D

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The advice about lifting them out through the egg port and having a hold is sensible.

 

It gets you used to handling them.......and them being handled by you, even though they are drowsy.

 

It is also a good time to give them a once over, and a sprinkling of redmite powder....although not too much, as you don't want them inhaling it in vast quantities.

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I know this may sound silly but, I am perfectly happy picking up the girls and holding them.....as long as I have my leather garden gloves on. ! I would be more nervous without my gloves because I do'nt want to be pecked! It's my own fault, I thought it was sooo sweet that they were eating corn out of my gloved hand. Now every time they see my hand they are out to peck....simply because they associate my hand with corn. So, picking up with gloves on is a good idea I think, and gives you more courage!!!

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I know this may sound silly but, I am perfectly happy picking up the girls and holding them.....as long as I have my leather garden gloves on. ! I would be more nervous without my gloves because I do'nt want to be pecked! It's my own fault, I thought it was sooo sweet that they were eating corn out of my gloved hand. Now every time they see my hand they are out to peck....simply because they associate my hand with corn. So, picking up with gloves on is a good idea I think, and gives you more courage!!!

 

I couldn't pick them up without wearing gloves at first! :oops:

 

You soon get over it! :lol:

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