Sooo much pooping

[Alis girls]

Asked my friend on how to grab a chuck, I have had them a week tommorow and apart from them hand feeding - i cannot grab one to cuddle - how on earth am I going to check for beasties etc. - can I grab a tail, leg or what - i dont want to lunge at them - help

[chicken bark]

I've tentatively held a couple of my birds but the third I can't get near. I'm hoping when she starts laying (and then does that crouching thing) I'll be able to pick her up.

 

There's a bit in the guide section on the Omlet site saying how to do it. There are a couple of pics too.

 

It's all good fun though.

[Alis girls]

yes one did the bobbing down thing for my 8 yr old - I suspect they find me scary - I am 5ft 9 - hardly Amazonian. I just want to be able to check bits are working properly. I think I give off bad vibes - I am a tad nervous of being pecked but I think it stems from OH accidently breaking our buns leg when transferring yrs ago.

[Alis girls]

Heeeeeelp please- I dont want to be posting this in 6 months

[chick wiggle]

Hi

I found the best way was to wait until they have gone to bed, then they are all a lot calmer and quite dozey, very easy to pick up and cuddle then, also it gets them used to you picking them up and its all very calm and less stressful for them and for you. Give them a good 'ol cuddle and they will very soon get used to been handled.

Catching them will get a lot easier when they start to crouch.

[Lavenders_Blue]

It's MUCH easier once they start crouching as they will stop running around when you approach and flatten themselves to the ground. Then you can firmly place your hands over the wings and lift them up. The easiest thing then is to pop the hen under your arm so her wings are being held firmly as (and I speak from experience here ) a whack round the face with a stray wing can be an unpleasant experience!

 

It's best to take it slowly with your girls and let them get to know and trust you before worrying too much about picking them up. It will be less stressful all round (and yes, when they refuse to crouch a quick lunge is often the best way to get hold of them). Don't pick them up by their legs or tail!

[Torrin]

I had real worries when I first got my girls as well.

 

All i can say is that it will def get much easier when they're laying and they crouch as you approach.

 

Otherwise you just have to approach slowly and carefully then make a grab for their body - hands firmly around wings. I probably wouldn't try to grab a leg tho! Not only might you hurt the chook but you'll end up with a face full of flapping chicken!

[Lavenders_Blue]

I meant to add - I find the easiest way to check for beasties is to distract the head end with a few treats, meanwhile I can rummage about in the bloomers which is where you are most likely to find creepy crawlies. Part the feathers right down to the skin to check for quick moving critters, they will be fairly easy to spot if present.

If I try to pick my girls up to check them, I have only one hand to hold them still and one hand to check them which is not easy when dealing with a struggling hen! (Mine don't really like being handled).

[cluckbok]

Hi ya, the breeder told us this way:-

 

Grab them with both hands one on each wing, picking the hen up then, put one wing against your body holding the hen close to you and then remain with your hand over the other wing. Once one of the wings is against your body, you then open your fingers out and slide the hens legs in between your fingers. If they fidget you give the legs a gentle squeeze. We've found it successful and the hens don't mind at all.

 

It does help once they are laying because they crouch, or as the other omleteers said you could always pick them up once they gone to bed. Sometimes we've managed to throw corn and once they are eating it, quickly pick them up (cheeky I know!).

 

Hope I've not waffled on too much!!

[sadietoo]

Just wanted to add that I've found it easiest to calm them , by holding the wings as already suggested but then sitting down with them standing on my lap, and gently releasing the pressure on their wings...amazingly they don't automatically fight to get straight off, (but to start with they don't hang about for long either!) Once they realise that they can go when they want they are much less bothered about being picked up in the first place...so much so very occasionally they will honour me with a bit of a sit down on my lap for a while, and even a short doze if I am very lucky

[Alis girls]

Thanks girls will try the bedtime thing. The guy who bought them from Omlet also did the thing with the fingers thro the legs but when you are taking 3 hens out of a cat box its much easier.

[Alis girls]

Today 2 of my girls crouched and let me pick up and cuddle them. Soo nice, lovely silky feathers. Delilah is still running away but I dont think she is laying yet. We leg ringed them purely for me to be able to tell who is who. thanks for your advice as usual you came up trumps - proud chicken mum