Unsecure chicken perches

[Smiler33]

You know I said when we got the chickens I have a bit of a chicken foot phobia ... I've also got a beak one but haven't ever told anyone .... until now! I spent the best part of 20 mins this evening getting the girls back into their run after letting them free range for over an hour. Betsy and Tikka went back fine (bribed them with mealworms), the other 2 were little, um scamps would be the polite way to put it.

 

I think maybe letting them peck some food out of my hands would help but I don't like their pecky little beaks. And on the guide on here it says grabbing their feet from under them .... ugh, not an option for me . How on earth am I going to actually pick them up and handle them if I don't like either end?

 

Anyone got any ideas? John can pick them up no problem but I can't always hang around waiting for him to sort them out plus he works away a bit. Also if I let them out during the day I need to be able to get them in quickly.

 

HELP!!!!!!! (sorry to shout but I'm worried!) Please tell me it'll get easier

[Plum]

If you're not keen on handling them you can always herd them. I did this with my new ones before they caught on to treats by using a garden cane, it was a lot less stressful than catching them

[Olly]

I do sympathise because I used to have a bird phobia, and if anyone had told me a few years ago that I'd be able to pick up a chicken and hold it, I'd never have believed them.

 

I don't handle mine a lot, I use treats to tempt them back in the run. However there will be occasions when you need to pick them up. Wear gloves - it makes it easier, and if you pick them up firmly under their tummies, you should be able to stay out of beak range, and you don't need to touch their feet, they just hang down.

 

Mine have never eaten out of my hand, and I can't imagine how you'd get a chicken's feet from under it! It does get easier both to catch and herd them when they're a bit older and are laying regularly, they'll crouch down when you approach which makes picking them up easier.

[Egluntyne]

I use an angler's landing net to catch reluctant ones, as I have to be careful with my back and can no longer do the ' chicken lunge'.

 

Other times. I just scatter sweetcorn or mealworms and they appear as if by magic.

 

Gloves are useful for picking them up. It is probably a good idea for you to get used to handling them, as the day may come when you have a poorly or injured one and you will have to do it. Best to be ready.

 

Why not don your gloves, and lift one out of the pop hole late on when they have gone to roost. It will get you used to them and them used to you. They might fidget a bit, but won'nt go flapping off into the night.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I had occasion to touch my chickens' feet last night (whilst putting them to bed in the eglu - they were sleeping alfresco ). I know this won't help with your phobia but you'd be surprised how warm and soft their feet actually are .

[Smiler33]

Thanks very much for your advice - I felt really stupid about it and thought you'd all be thinking 'what on earth is she doing with chickens then!' I do love the girls, just not to hold and it's very reassuring to see I'm not the only one with a bit of a bird thing!

 

I'll dig out some gloves and maybe try getting them out of the nesting box hole this evening (with John's assistance!) He has also said on the weekend he'll help me to get used to handling them a little bit. I will feel reassured that if one had something wrong I'd be able to 'steel myself' to pick her up. I have held Mabel but she's the only one and that was on the first day we got them. I wish I was a bit braver!!

 

Thank you.

[Tutti Frutti]

Somehow, mine have learnt to come to the shake of a mealworm pot! I started in the early days, shaking it like mad to make a lot of noise to get their attention and then I'd immediately feed them so they now associate the rattle with their favourite nosh and come legging it down the garden I hardly ever have to pick mine up.

 

If I do have to do some herding, I use my giant hands - garden leaf grabbers like these!

 

[Smiler33]

Oh I LIKE those garden leaf grabbers! I take it you're not to keen on too much chicken contact either then!

 

I had to laugh earlier because Sam was happily feeding the girls some mealworms and they pecked him. Did he flinch? No, he thought it was funny. How come my 3 year old is so much braver than me?!!!

 

I've let them out a few times today; about an hour at lunch time and they've had about 2 hours this evening. At lunch time I got them in by getting some corn (they were due to have some anyhow), shouting chubb chubb chubb (don't ask me why I said that!) and the 2 who weren't already in came in quite quickly so I simply shut the run door. Tonight was easy because they just put themselves to bed at 6.15 - I wish the kids were so good!

 

Haven't been out and picked them up in the evening yet as either me or John has been out each evening, but that will be a good thing to try on the weekend.

[Tutti Frutti]

I take it you're not to keen on too much chicken contact either then!

 

I WISH! I'd love to cuddle my girlies but it's THEM who aren't too keen I try, they just flap a lot... but if I'm sitting on the bench, they will happily hop on my lap It's all got to be on their terms, I guess.

 

The leaf grabbers are brilliant - we used them as an emergency measure when we let the new girls free range with the oldies for the first time (along with a broom and a rake but the grabbers really did the trick!).

 

Glad your ladies went to bed easily tonight It'll get easier every night from now on, now they're figuring out a routine.

[Saronne]

Somehow, mine have learnt to come to the shake of a mealworm pot! I started in the early days, shaking it like mad to make a lot of noise to get their attention and then I'd immediately feed them so they now associate the rattle with their favourite nosh and come legging it down the garden I hardly ever have to pick mine up.

 

If I do have to do some herding, I use my giant hands - garden leaf grabbers like these!

 

 

 

When I first saw the photo, I thought it was a pair of chicken slippers!

 

 

Saronne x

[chrissyxx]

I also had a real bird phobia, and the family laughed at the thought of me having chickens! 6 months on, and I can happily pick mine up, much to everyone's amazement! I started by stroking their backs, and gradually plucked (excuse the pun) up enough courage to lift the most docile one. I find it easier to lift mine under their tummies, and they seem more than happy. I do have one which manages to fly over the fence at regular intervals, so have had plenty of practice now! I also have another stubborn one who isnt quite so obliging about going back into the pen, and have whiled away many an idle moment chasing it round the garden, much to everyone's amusement. Just as I was thinking about having to try a rugby tackle, help came from an unexpected quarter as my cat decided to try some herding on the right flank. Teamwork!!!

[jomeena]

Although i do like to pick my girls up, at this time of year their feet are very muddy, so i rattle their treat bowl to get them in. Chicken training took a few weeks but is worth it. They now return to the run in seconds.

[annettec]

Mine were very flighty when we first got them , so impossible to catch or pick up. I too trained mine with a tupperware pot of corn which I shook and rattled and they now run to me from 100ft away still makes me chuckle as they run/hop/half fly to me ! I then throw a handful into the run and they scoot in with no problem.

Which is great for a quick put away !

[fluffyknickers]

If I want to hand feed the chickens I wear leather gloves to do so and thats what I give to kids who want to do the same - I know I will be laughed at but i think when they peck it hurts!

 

On the feet subject, I have never actually had to touch their feet to move them (only touch them when checking them over) as to pick them up I bribe with treat then grab the body so each wing is tight in against them (if that makes sense).

 

If I chuck corn in the run they will follow it, although they are a little silly and dont understand that to get in somewhere you have to walk out a door and they tend to walk in to the run wire all the time until one of them finds the door opening! Doh!

[Smiler33]

I've just spent a lovely 30 mins out in the garden - wheeled the Cube out of the way and then poo picked / raked up the wood chips etc and tidied it up and then put the Cube back. Looks so much better. Most of this time Betsy, the tamest of the 4 who is also chief (the only) layer at the moment was with me - she's the one I picked up on the weekend.

 

Anyhow, the other 3 musketeers came along too and the last 10 mins I was out I got a handful of corn and was able to hand feed Mabel and Tikka - Peckish was having none of it. Tikka makes lovely little chirpy whistly noises. I figure if I hand feed them a bit they'll get more confident; if I try to touch them them they run away, but it's still only early days. Now at least they are happy to stand very close to me, and I just talk gently to them.

 

I'm feeling a lot more confident now than I was just a fortnight ago, so thanks for all your support everyone