Brooding hen has chicks in nesting box

[jan_novice_chicken_keeper]

Another daft question, but I am a little concerned about how the chickens will cope with our children. We have a 3 year old, a 2 year old and a baby (4 months). The 2 year old adores chickens (her current favourite book is 'Keeping Pet Chickens', which is currently clutched in her hand between her head and her pillow - I haven't yet got to open it!) and has on several occasions when we have been near free range birds at the local school managed to catch them. She walks towards them saying 'here chicky, chicky' and they run to her!

 

Whilst I have been worried sick for the bird, she has held them nicely and the chickens have seemed fine, even quite enjoying it, but I am worried that our girls could be agitated by her constant attention. They will have to spend a fair amount of time in the run as they will have to have some supervision due to foxes, so I don't want them to have to be shut in when the children are playing in the garden. I am anxious to teach her to behave properly with the chickens, but meanwhile, do other people's chooks cope with little children?

 

Thanks again for all your help,

 

Jan

[Snowy]

I have a 4 and 2 year old Jan. They do need some supervision obviously as their attention can be a bit overwhelming at first can't it? But even when the chooks have been cornered and grabbed due to my inattention they have been absolutely fine. They just fluff up their feathers and walk off in disgust. And they don't seem to realise that they could outrun the kids if they put a bit of effort into it! At the end of teh day, it seems to worry me far more than it bothers them!

[debratugwell]

Likewise I have a 3 year old daughter who constantly wants to pick them up. One chicken in particular is rather friendly and I frequently see her being carted round the garden. However, I have shown her how to pick the chicken up properly so she doesn't hurt their wings etc. and she does do this - just too often for my liking. However, they don't seem bothered by the attention and certainly don't run away from her next time she goes looking for them. In fact she manages to catch Swiper who I've only managed to get once so far!!!!!!!!!!! so I really wouldn't worry about it too much.

[bronze]

I have a 4 and 2 year old Jan. They do need some supervision obviously as their attention can be a bit overwhelming at first can't it? But even when the chooks have been cornered and grabbed due to my inattention they have been absolutely fine. They just fluff up their feathers and walk off in disgust. And they don't seem to realise that they could outrun the kids if they put a bit of effort into it! At the end of teh day, it seems to worry me far more than it bothers them!

 

Can I copy what she said word for word

[Hen Watch]

My nephew is 18months old. The 1st week the chickens were here they were confined to their run and would peck anything that got near the wire cage. My nephews fingers were nipped and he then was very wary of them.

 

But now only one more week on, my chooks no longer peck my fingers when I let them out of the run and have stopped pecking my toes now. And my nephew is more relaxed with them. He needs constant watching as he did try and ram-raid a chicken with a wooden trolley. He mostly ignores them but if one gets inches away from him he gets a bit clingy, but I suppose if you are only 2 ft high a chicken must look quite big.

 

I do always watch him when he visits as my chooks will peck a moles when I am holding them (thinking they are food) and I wouldn't want one to try that with a little one.

 

But all seems OK now. My children are 10, 8 & 6 and were all wary during the first finger/toe pecking week, but now are fine with the older one a seasoned pro at catching them.