Taming chickens may seem like an impossible task, but with the right techniques and a little bit of patience, even the most skittish chicken can become friendly and affectionate As a beginner chicken owner, learning how to tame chickens will make your flock much easier to care for and allow you to build stronger bonds with your birds
In this comprehensive guide we will walk through the step-by-step process of taming chickens, from choosing the right breeds to socializing chicks and continuing bonding techniques into adulthood. Follow these tips and you’ll have lap chickens in no time!
Choose the Right Breeds
The first step to taming chickens starts even before you bring home your flock. When selecting chicken breeds, opt for those known for their calm friendly personalities. Good starter breeds include
- Orpingtons
- Australorps
- Silkies
- Faverolles
- Plymouth Rocks
- Sussex
- Cochins
- Easter Eggers
- Brahmas
- Wyandottes
Avoid notoriously flighty breeds like Leghorns, Hamburgers, and Games. While any chicken can be tamed, you’re stacking the odds in your favor by choosing naturally docile breeds from the start. Do your research to select the friendliest breeds for beginners.
Socialize Chicks Early
Bonding with chickens starts from day one. Chicks are primed to imprint on their caretakers, so take advantage of this early socialization window.
Weeks 1-2
- Handle chicks gently and speak softly to get them used to human contact.
- Scoop chicks in your hand and bring them to your chin while purring or clucking.
- Take chicks out of the brooder for daily floor time. Let them explore while staying close to you.
- If chicks seem frightened, simply rest your hand in the brooder without touching to get them accustomed to it.
Weeks 3-7
- Continue daily handling and lap time.
- Start clicker training chicks to come when called using treats.
- Take chicks outside for short supervised grass time as weather permits.
The more time spent socializing in these early weeks, the tamer and friendlier your chickens will ultimately be.
Bond with Older Chickens
If you’ve adopted older chickens who aren’t used to human contact, have patience. With time and effort, even adult chickens can become tame.
- Move slowly and let chickens come to you. Avoid chasing or grabbing them.
- Use high-value treats like mealworms to build positive associations.
- Hand feed treats and spends time near chickens while ignoring undesirable behaviors.
- Designate a special calling sound like clicking your tongue to bring chickens running. Reward with treats when they come.
- Pet chickens while feeding treats, working up to stroking their backs and eventually lifting them.
- Continue sessions daily until chickens are comfortable being handled.
It takes time to gain an untamed chicken’s trust. But with gentle persistence, you can tame even mature chickens.
Maintain Bonds into Adulthood
Once your chickens are tame, don’t become complacent. You’ll need to continually reinforce those positive bonds as your flock matures.
- Spend time with chickens daily, even if just sitting nearby while they forage.
- Hand feed treats often. Make sure all flock members get individual attention.
- Pick chickens up and handle them frequently so they stay comfortable being touched.
- Consider clicker training chickens to do fun tricks using food rewards.
- Pet, stroke and talk to chickens when holding or sitting with them.
Keeping adult chickens tame requires dedicating quality time daily. But the rewards of having an affectionate, pet-like flock are well worth it!
Troubleshoot Issues Taming Chickens
Not making progress taming your chickens? Here are some troubleshooting tips:
Chicken runs away: Move slower, avoid direct eye contact, and lure with treats.
Chicken seems scared: Back off and work at their pace, not yours. Build trust slowly.
Chicken pecks or scratches: Carry a squirt bottle and gently spray their beak while firmly saying “no.”
Chicken loses tameness: Consistently reinforce training and bond daily with food rewards and physical affection.
Only some chickens tame: Focus training on unsocialized individuals. Spend separate one-on-one time with timid chickens.
New chickens untamed: Quarantine and begin taming process individually before introducing to flock.
With the proper techniques and enough patience, even the wildest chicken can become a friendly pet. Follow this step-by-step guide for taming chickens and you’ll be rewarded with an affectionate, lap-loving flock. Raising tame chickens takes dedication, but the outcome is incredibly rewarding.
StepsMethod
- 1 Choose a breed of chickens known for being friendly. There are many different breeds of chickens and some of them are easier to tame and handle.[1] These breeds include Orpington, Black Australorp, Silke, Faverolle, Barred Rock, Sussex, Cochin, Easter Egger, Brahma, Wyandotte, and Buckeye.[2]
- The Orpington breed is known to be especially friendly.
- 2 Start socializing with the chicks in the first week after you get them. Speak to them softly and gently so that they get used to your voice. Gently pick them up and hold them every day so that they will become accustomed to your touch.[3]
- Don’t start handling your chicks on the first day that you bring them home. Give them a day or two to adjust to their new home and get settled in.
- It’s normal for the chicks to scatter when you reach into their pen to grab them. Move your hand slowly and talk to them quietly so they understand that your hand is not a predator.
Tip: Chickens can be tamed using many of the same methods you would use to train a dog or a cat. They might not appreciate petting and cuddling the same way a dog or cat does, but it’s possible to tame a chicken to be very affectionate and friendly towards you! Advertisement
- 3 Feed the chicks treats from your hand. Use treats like mealworms, sunflower seeds, oats, and raisins. Lower your hand into the chicks’ pen and hold it there steadily until they start walking up to eat out of it.
- Like many animals, the quickest way to tame your chicks is to get them to associate you and your hands with food.
- Once the chicks start eating out of your hand comfortably, then you can start using your index and middle fingers of the other hand to gently stroke their heads and backs while they eat.
- 4 Let the chicks run around in an enclosed space after a week. Take the chicks out of their brooding pen and place them in a safe enclosed area of your home or an outdoor enclosure where they can’t escape. Sit on the ground with them and let them run around to explore and climb over you.[4]
- If you do this in your home, make sure to put down an old sheet to protect your floors from accidents!
- This is another good time to hand feed your chicks so they keep associating you with treats.
- 5 Keep handling, hand feeding, and spending time with the chicks as they grow up. Chicks grow fast, and without constant bonding time they will easily revert to being wild chickens. Keep picking up, petting, cuddling, talking to, and giving treats to the chicks during the 2-3 months it takes them to develop fully so you will have a tame flock.[5]
- When the chicks are 3-7 weeks old, they may start acting more hyper, and seem less interested in you. During this time, hand feeding will be your most successful way to interact with them and keep them interested in you.
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FAQ
How can you tame a chicken?
If they’re chicks, pick them up and spend some one-on-one time with them every day. Let them see your face and talk to them. They will get comfortable with you and even nap in your hands or on your lap. For older chickens, bring something to sit on and relax near their roaming area.
How do you get a chicken to trust you?
Just feed them their chicken feed. Sit calmly with them while you toss food their way. As you do this daily, they will get more used to having you around and eventually they will eat from your hand. There will always be chickens out there who prefer you stay away from them.
How long does it take to tame chickens?
Chicks grow fast, and without constant bonding time they will easily revert to being wild chickens. Keep picking up, petting, cuddling, talking to, and giving treats to the chicks during the 2-3 months it takes them to develop fully so you will have a tame flock.
Are chickens easy to tame?
Despite what many people think, chickens can make delightful pets. They can become very tame, and learn quickly to enjoy sitting in people’s laps. They make really cute, contented crooning noises when cuddled. While setting up a backyard coop takes time and money, having your own hens is a worthwhile endeavour.