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LittleOwl

My hens don't crouch to be picked up :(

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I have read a lot on here about the fact that the girls will be easier to pick up when they start laying, as they will start to crouch.

 

Well, we've had our girls since December, and they have been laying now for 10 weeks. When we first got them we did pick them up quite a bit while they were confined to the Cube pen, and subsequently they awere sometimes allowing us to do it when we we were hand feeding them. However, they are becoming increasingly hard to pick up, and never crouch. If we need to we have to bribe one into the cube or pen and go for it. I have never seen them crouch for us. Is this because we have a cockerel? He does get a bit agitated when his girls are distressed or disturbed (unless he has decided that his grapes or corn are more important). Or are we expecting too much too soon?

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It could be becuase you have a chap running with them? Perhaps they only crouch for him and you are considered "unimportant".

 

However of all of my lot some crouch regulary and some never...it may be down to the individual. It does seeem, with my lot at least, the broodier the breed the more likely they are to crouch. :think:

 

Just keep at it....

 

I also make a point of picking them up just for the hell of it or to give them a treat. Otherwise they would only get picked up for health checks and medication and lets face it...."Ooops, word censored!"ody enjoys that!

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Our top ranking chicken refuses to crouch for us. You can see her willing herself not to when you approach :lol: The others do willingly and walking in the garden can be tricky as they tend to throw themselves out infront of you at every given opportunity. I would persevere with the treats option, having said that my children have a great technique where they catch them by the base of the tail and they stop for them. I did tell them off initially as didn't like the look of it but it works for them very well and the girls just stand still for them. May just be our chickens though :)

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