Holding a chicken properly is crucial for the safety and comfort of both you and the chicken. A poorly held chicken can become stressed, injured, or even fly away.
Additionally, holding a chicken incorrectly can result in scratches, pecks, or bites from an unhappy bird. In order to ensure a positive experience for both you and the chicken, it’s important to understand how to properly handle these feathered creatures.
If you’re new to handling chickens, don’t worry! It’s completely natural to feel apprehensive at first.
Chickens can be quick and flighty, making them difficult to catch and hold onto. However, with a little bit of practice and patience, anyone can learn how to hold a chicken properly.
In time, you’ll become more confident in your abilities and handling chickens will feel like second nature. So let’s dive into some tips on how to properly hold these feathered friends!
Getting Ready to Hold a Chicken
Wear appropriate clothing and shoes
Before attempting to hold a chicken, it’s important to dress appropriately. Chickens may scratch or peck if they feel threatened, so it’s best to wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. Avoid wearing anything that dangles or could be pulled off by a curious chicken, like jewelry or loose clothing.
You don’t need any special gear, but working gloves could be helpful if you’re extra nervous. Remember that chickens can smell fear and will react accordingly.
Approach the chicken calmly and confidently
Chickens are easily frightened by sudden movements or loud noises, so it’s important to approach them gently and with a calm demeanor. Don’t make any sudden moves or try to startle the bird, as this will only make things worse.
Instead, approach slowly and keep your movements deliberate but smooth. Talk soothingly to the chicken as you come closer – it might sound silly but it works wonders!
When you get close enough, extend your hand slowly for them to sniff at first before picking up the bird gently with both hands once they are comfortable with your touch. Remember that holding chickens is all about building trust between you and the bird – take your time getting ready before diving in!
Picking Up the Chicken
One hand over the back, other under the legs
When it comes to picking up a chicken, there are a few key steps you should follow to avoid injuring or scaring your feathered friend. To start, place one hand over the chicken’s back to keep it steady and calm.
With your other hand, gently scoop up its legs so that you have a firm grip on both ends of the bird. If you’re new to handling chickens, it can be helpful to practice this technique with a stuffed animal or similarly shaped object before trying it out with a real live bird.
Hold close for support
Once you have both hands securely around the chicken’s body, bring it close to your chest for support. This will help keep the bird calm and comfortable as you move around with it in your arms.
Make sure that you’re holding onto both legs firmly so that they don’t slip out of your grasp mid-flight – chickens are notoriously wiggly creatures! By holding them close like this, they’ll feel more secure and won’t be as likely to squirm or try to escape from your grip.
Supporting the Chicken’s Body
Use both hands to support the chicken’s body weight
Now that you have picked up your chicken, it’s important to properly support its body weight. Using both hands, place one hand under its breastbone and the other under its back end near the tail feathers.
This will help distribute its weight evenly and make it feel more secure in your grip. Make sure to keep your hands steady and relaxed throughout the process.
Keep its wings tucked in close to its body
Chickens can become frightened easily, especially when they are being handled by someone they don’t know. To help make them feel more safe and secure, keep their wings tucked in close to their body while you’re holding them.
This also helps prevent accidental flapping that could lead to injury for both you and the chicken. When supporting their bodies, be mindful of any sudden movements or jerks that could startle or hurt them.
Remember that chickens are living creatures with delicate bones and organs, so treat them with care and respect. It may take some practice before you become comfortable handling chickens, but once you do, you’ll find that it’s a fun and rewarding experience.
Just remember to always approach them calmly and confidently, wear appropriate clothing for protection from pecks or scratches if necessary (such as long sleeves), and be gentle when setting them back down on the ground. Next up: Handling Tips
Handling Tips
Avoid sudden movements or jerks that could startle or hurt the chicken
When you are holding a chicken, it is important to be gentle and avoid sudden movements. Chickens can easily get spooked, and being startled can cause them to flap their wings, which may result in injury to themselves or others.
Additionally, sudden movements or jerks can make the chicken feel unsafe in your hands and cause them to struggle and potentially fall. To prevent any mishaps, move slowly and deliberately when you are holding a chicken.
Try not to make any rapid or unexpected motions that could startle the bird. If you notice that the chicken is getting anxious or trying to escape your grasp, it’s best to set them down safely on the ground.
Be gentle when setting it back down on the ground
After lifting up a chicken, it’s just as important to be gentle when setting it back down on the ground. Dropping a bird from even a small height can lead to serious injuries such as broken bones or internal damage. To avoid hurting your feathered friend during this process, slowly lower them back onto the ground with care.
Make sure that they are well supported until their feet touch the surface beneath them before releasing your hands completely. It’s also important not to release them too far away from your body if you’re kneeling down with them – releasing too far away may cause them distress as they will feel like they are falling.
By supporting their body weight until all four of their toes touch down will give them confidence that they have good footing. By following these simple handling tips outlined above in sections III through V of this article, you’ll keep both yourself and your chickens safe during handling sessions while also minimizing stress for everyone involved!
Conclusion
Proper chicken handling can be tricky for beginners, but with practice, it becomes easier. It’s important to wear appropriate clothing and shoes and approach the chicken calmly and confidently. To pick up the chicken, place one hand over its back and use the other to gently scoop up its legs.
Always hold the chicken close to your body for support and use both hands to support its body weight. It’s also important to be gentle when setting the chicken back down on the ground.
Avoid sudden movements or jerks that could startle or hurt the chicken. Keep its wings tucked in close to its body while holding it.
Handling chickens can be a rewarding experience, especially if you’re raising them as pets or for their eggs. The more you handle them, the more comfortable you’ll become with this task.
So don’t be afraid to practice and gain confidence in handling chickens! Remember that these are living creatures that deserve respect and care.
With patience and care, you’ll soon find that handling chickens is a natural part of your daily routine. So go ahead – pick up that bird with confidence!
