Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Lapinou]

Millie (who likes the nesting box) is getting really good at being handled now, and seems to enjoy the cuddle. Princess Aurora and Wendy are harder to pick up as they don't like the nesting box as much. Princess Aurora's getting better though. Wendy hasn't been held since Angus from omlet put her in the run - she just doesn't seem to want to go in the nesting box, and we can't tempt her close enough to the run door to get her from that end either. She eventually ran in the nesting box this evening when DH was cuddling Princess Aurora so we shut the eglu door with the intention of picking her up from the egg port. Oh boy! She flapped like "Ooops, word censored!"odies business, then managed to flap her way out of the egg port and get her first taste of free ranging DH had no chance picking her up again out and about but, happily, she seemed to know where she felt safe and ran round to the run door and pecked at it, only running away when DH or I got close to try to pick her up. Eventually managed to get close enough to open the door for her when she next started trying to get in and she rushed in with the other two with a chicken sigh of relief!

 

I'm so impressed that she knew where she lives already. I'm impressed that, even though she's trying to be the boss, she wanted the security of the other two so obviously.

 

DH is going to try to pick her up again later on when she's sleepier - we're a bit concerned that we need to get her used to being handled for when they're free-ranging in a week or so. Ho hum...hopefully we'll get there soon!

[cammy73]

I think that I'm correct in saying that once the girls start laying they become easier to handle and will "stoop" for you to pick them up. Saying that though 2 of my girls love being cuddled but Buffy will have none of it.... so don't despair too much....

Sharon x

[Gamebird]

It does take a while for them to get used to being handled.

 

I don't have an Eglu so I was not able to lift them out at night when they are quieter.

 

I used to feed them their favourite treat (grapes) and they were soon sitting on my knee and becoming complete pests.

 

However, when they start to lay they become more friendly and will crouch when you approach them (well most of them do!) and they then become very easy to pick up.

[BarbaraJ]

Mine aren't too bothered about being hels though i can, i dont feel you have to be able to pick them up for them to free range though.

Now mine are all laying they can be picked up but prefer to be stroked!

Strangely the seemingly most timid, once picked up loves it the most weird! the other 2 hop off my lap.

[Stevie]

When you pick them up-clasp your hands firmly around the bird holding the wings close to its body so it cant flap then lock your little fingers behind the back legs.Dont worry about hurting them-they're tougher than they look!

 

The more you handle them-the tamer they become.Food plays a major part in persuading them we humans dont mean any harm so just bait them up with tasty treats.They really are driven by greed and will eat out of your hand!

[Lapinou]

Thanks everyone DH just got Wendy out of the egg port when she was all sleepy and she was pretty nervous compared to Millie, but he said he could feel her relaxing as he walked round with her - I think it reminded him of holding newborn babies He's just as potty about the chickens as I am! So I think we'll just try her in the evenings for a few nights, to get her used to it while she's calm - no point stressing her out unneccessarily I think.

[BarbaraJ]

i tried the eating out of your hand and it worked great at first but wouldn't do it now they are like vultures with food Amber jumps at the treat bowl and the back door too when she sees me and when she pecks at the food in my hand it hurts

[Abbey Road Girl]

My experience is that I was as nervous (if not more so) about physical contact with the girls as they were. I took it slowly (stroked them after they had gone to bed as a first non-threatening contact) and began to build my own confidence and theirs by stroking their backs when they were free-ranging. They did a bit of objecting and evading, but have become pretty comfortable. I moved on to briefly holding them from time to time. No offence was taken.

 

Now when I sit down in the garden with their treat bowl, they are happy to fly up and sit on my knees. I have never experienced any hostility (active defensiveness) at all.

 

They are curious and non-combative = friendly.

 

As Stevie advised, clasp them by their wings gently but firmly.

 

I'm sure that you will get the hang of it. Just takes a bit of experience.

[Janty]

My splash cochin still hates being cuddled and we have had her since last October. She doesn't crouch at all - that's just the way she is. She is starting to become susceptable to bribery. I just sit in a chair in the garden, keep the treats in my hand and she has to jump up on my knee to get them. Trouble is, the others then join her. You try having several cochins and brahmas walking all over you pushing each other out of the way to get to food.

[Gallina]

Out of my eight hens:

• Two adore being picked up at any time (Amber Star and Buff Orpington)
• Three will tolerate being picked up when they are in squatting mood (Pepperpot, Black Cochin, Cobar)
  
• Three can't bear being picked up, ever (Silver Wyandotte, Bluebelle, and Buff Cochin).

Hens are all different, and it's nothing to do with breeds.

 

And none of mine would allow me to pick them up before they started laying eggs: they are obviously now looking for a cockerel, but they make do with me.

[Lapinou]

thanks for all your help .

 

We've found Millie has get very used to being picked up out of the egg port and is now very docile and enjoys it when we do. We've not tried picking her up from the run yet as she doesn't give us much chance to, spending most of her day in the eglu!

 

Princess Aurora is getting to that point very quickly, but doesn't want to be picked up from the run.

 

Wendy is just another matter entirely, but I think won't take too long to get comfy with us now we're managing to pick her up when she's sleepy.