When can I hold my babies?

[Athena116699]

I need to know how much (holding) is too much. I would love to hold and love my babies, 1 week old, but know better to hold them too much...I would also love for them to quit running from me like the plague. Also, I have one SLW that a friend said was a male...they were all female from the hatchery...well, was sposta be. This one likes to tell everyone what to do and it fights every time I try to pick it up. Again they are only 1 week. Right now I only pick them up and say pretty baby and put them back down. When I clean the brooder I place them in a box, clean, then put them back. When can I put them in my lap and start talking to them? I just posted this in the feeding babies too and thought I should repost it since its a tid bit different than feeding babies....thank you for reading.

 

[troy4]

If your constantly holding the baby its too much.You should at least hold chicks twice a day.Be sure your hands are clean.And you aren't sick.Pet it and things.There for it will let you hold it more.

 

[olijo123]

It took awhile for my chicks to warm up to me. I would start with putting my hand in the brooder and letting them walk around my hand. Then I would pick them up a few times a day and eventually they got tame. It just takes time for them to understand that you aren't going to hurt them.

 

[Athena116699]

Well thank you both. I am an ol granny and I know you just can't hold babies. But first time with chicks. I can't wait to be able to hold them in my lap and just talk to them...one at a time that is. Also, when I first them outside should it be one at a time so I can watch them better? I think I would be running everywhere if I took all six out at the same time.

 

[olijo123]

Well thank you both. I am an ol granny and I know you just can't hold babies. But first time with chicks. I can't wait to be able to hold them in my lap and just talk to them...one at a time that is. Also, when I first them outside should it be one at a time so I can watch them better? I think I would be running everywhere if I took all six out at the same time.

Whenever I let my chicks out I took 2 at a time.

 

[troy4]

Well thank you both. I am an ol granny and I know you just can't hold babies. But first time with chicks. I can't wait to be able to hold them in my lap and just talk to them...one at a time that is. Also, when I first them outside should it be one at a time so I can watch them better? I think I would be running everywhere if I took all six out at the same time.

Putting them all out there at the same times is better.They may get worried thinking their alone and their in a new room.And might become stressed quickly.

 

[Athena116699]

Thank you

 

[SixChickFlock]

Mine were played with as babies and quite friendly. As preteens they became quite skittish. Had to use meal worms and other treats to get them to play. Now that they are starting to lay, they are friendly wonderful pets. They greet us when we come home and follow me all over the yard. They'll sit under and around a lawn chair keeping a lounging human company. If I need them to get in the coop, I just call and rattle a small can full of feed. They come right in. AND they can now be picked up and held with very little fuss and running away. A favorite game is to have them jump by name to grab a piece of bread. They know their names!

Keep working with them!