Chicken Keeping Basics - How To Pick Up A Chicken

Picking up a chicken is a basic skill that all backyard chicken keepers should have. Terry demonstrates a technique that is both easy for you and comfortable for your chicken.

[@dqhung2000]

"I'm gonna talk about how to pick up a chicken" 🐔: "urghhhhhh"

[@Aaron-Miller-1138]

Twinkydink is like "Why do I have to be the example?" "Put me down!" She is a beautiful bird!

[@juliannawagner8303]

ikr?

[@juliannawagner8303]

Twinkydink doesn't want to be picked up so I was agreeing with you. ;) I also have a chicken like that!

[@juliannawagner8303]

Ryjel Destiny yes actually she looks very much alike.

[@juliannawagner8303]

Ryjel Destiny except she doesn't like people, I nicknamed her speedy Gonzales because she's so fast. XD

[@Aaron-Miller-1138]

+Jumping for joy films Cute!😇

[@angeliquecoppolino1433]

Thank you! 😊 10 years later and your video is still helping a newbie ❤️

[@terrygolson318]

That's so rewarding to hear. Enjoy your hens!

[@nicholasiommelli3161]

The chickens made really funny noises

[@Aaron-Miller-1138]

Yep they sure do.

[@haileyramirez2179]

That’s the sounds they make After laying an egg. It basically means they lay eggs XD

[@gizmokitt6491]

Pakaaaaaaaaa buck buck backaaaaa

[@_gamerrex4_956]

Hi, am going to talk about how to pick up a chi- bwaaak bwak

[@whisterv]

Fr

[@thehencam]

Some chickens never like being picked up. Take a chair into the run and sit quietly. Hens are curious. She'll pay attention to you and get comfortable with you around. Don't keep trying to scoop her up - that's too much like a predator. BTW, go easy on the mealworms. Their high protein content can cause kidney damage when fed in excess. I have a FAQ about feeding at HenCam.com

[@Buna2808]

It also depends on the chicken how they want to be picked up.

[@fayelixlox1]

Do Wild native chickens like to be picked up?

[@chrislaezur730]

Hey there, Faye. I know it’s been four months and I’m not the one you asked, but, I’m going to go out on a limb and say, for almost any animal with adjective “wild,” preceding its name, probably not.

[@TheWOWRichardqian]

“She is dirty but she is healthy....” the kind chick I like : )

[@NamanPaulAWESOME]

oooooo 😂😂

[@NeznamNeznam-xs4je]

huh

[@aimeebutlermodel]

Hi Ms. Golson, Thanks for keeping your videos still available. Today, I picked up a chicken for the first time. Picking up safely, was my number one concern. Almost got it right. Picked up, but she flew..so need to make sure, I am holding her wings next time.

[@wesleygiddings893]

Thank you. We’re picking up our first hens tomorrow and this was helpful.

[@Weareeverywhere14]

New hen owner as well. This helped!

[@bigray2859]

I had a feeling I was doing it wrong! My birds thank you for the change coming.

[@theresakleinfelder566]

Thanks for video. Helped in a pinch. Had chicken in yard didn't want my cats to hurt my neighbors chicken. picking her up was easy then I thought. she's safe now. :)

[@thehencam]

I'm so pleased that it was helpful to you in that situation!

[@RavenReedStarr]

Thanks for the fast reply! I started feeding them out of my hand to try to encourage them to follow where my hand goes. That is how I get them to hop in the coop when I am done letting them run amok in the backyard. I may have to rethink this. Fortunately, they are pretty good at coming when called...

[@IucidDreaming]

Yup,I have four chickens.I have a Black chicken,white chicken,and two brownish blackish chickens. The black one spreads her wings as soon as I grab her and she's powerful.

[@thehencam]

Hi Dave - your way works, too. It's especially useful for people at poultry shows who need to take their chickens in and out of crates. However, I find that for chickens running around in a yard, that the way I pick up hens is quite successful. Also, the way that you suggest holding a hen puts their head pointing backwards. Those of us with chickens as pets like to have them face out.

[@StewieGriffin505]

An oldie but goodie.

[@thehencam]

@kcanti1 You're very welcome and I'm so pleased that there's another Twinkydink now out there. Mine has been a long-lived, good hen.

[@cenyddsmith1009]

knew about picking up a chicken, didn't know about turning them over! Thank you

[@thehencam]

It's a hybrid like the Red Star, but it's one called the Golden Comet. Prolific layers, but a short life span.

[@thehencam]

I only feed when when my hens are polite. Close your fist around the grain and when she back off, toss her a bit. She'll learn quickly. Also, I rarely feed out of my hand as I don't want them to learn to peck and jump at me. My Speckled Sussex are "enthusiastic" like your pullet, so I don't allow that sort of behavior.

[@aidarosullivan5269]

Every day I learn a new skill thanks to the Internet

[@emily-ld7ci]

thank you! everytime i picked up my chickens they would flap out but after watching this they didn’t this was really helpful, butter chicken and chilli chicken thank you

[@thehencam]

@hensrus Spend more time sitting quietly on a low stool in their pen. Toss treats occasionally. When you do go to pick them up, be quick and sure. Chickens don't like people hovering over them, or hands patting their sides. Hold firmly yet gently to prevent flapping.

[@chrislaezur730]

Thanks for the info, ma’am; let a couple out by accident- the second one while trying to lure the first back in- and thought, “alright, I’m going to go watch a video and then I’m coming back and getting you little turds.” Did just that, you made it nice and easy. Guess feeding them blades of grass for the past few days paid off in an unexpected way. Now no one will ever know I accidentally let two out, lol.

[@LaCantressa]

Thanks for the helpful post. Just had to pick up a chicken that jumped a fence and was attacked a neighborhood cat. The chicken was scared but calmed right down once she was in my arms.

[@byroncombe2639]

Great - a real help. Didn't know you could turn hens upside down (and they'll stay happy...more or less...)

[@FlowervineFarmDesign]

You cannot get lice from chickens. I like this video, it's been helpful. My little bantam is easy but i have two blue wyandotte chicks and this video has made me more confident I'll be able to handle them confidently. Thanks!

[@mannu9934]

Lovely 👌

[@shinu1923]

My chickens trust me so much that I dont have to hold their wings, they just fully relax when I pick them up.

[@Vhantaa]

Idk if this is a mistake or not but when they start moving their legs, I place my hands under their legs for extra support

[@kickingirl13]

Haha i have the exact same breeds as you! I show my poultry for the fair and it really helps if they like you by giving them a teat such as cracked corn!

[@stoxx84]

great video, thank you!

[@juprood1423]

Thanks I’ve always wanted to know how to pick up chicks

[@psalm10123]

Thankyou so much! I have been looking for a video on this. We just got 5 chickens (pullets) a week ago and i want to check their vents and feet etc and wasn’t sure how to turn them on their backs.

[@thehencam]

You're right. Chicken lice are specific to birds. I have more about lice on a FAQ at my website.

[@Aaron-Miller-1138]

Twinkydink turns out to be the only Australorp you have. The others were Road Island Reds and Plymouth Rocks. Very cute!

[@fatboygamer3875]

I use to have 4 chickens that will kinda bow and wait to be picked up when we reach our hands out and they were always so friendly but sadly they passed away from age and I have new chickens but they are different breeds and I’m not sure if they will be the same

[@justblue974]

The ultimate way to pick up chicks

[@marcussmith7409]

I can pick up our chickens with one hand holding them by their triangle shaped chest. If they didn't love me like they do I'm sure they'd flap their wings and panic, but they really trust me and don't look uncomfortable the way I hold them. If it was a chicken that didn't know me or like me though I'd certainly hold them the way you instructed. I think they like me partially because I always put them to bed and have a fresh container of chicken food with me when I do to refill their food dish. I love their happy chicken noise songs they make. :)

[@thexstreetfr8648]

I Was looking for a video like that thanks

[@thehencam]

@MrsReverendDr You can hold the legs together with one hand at their ankles, while cradling their body with the other.

[@kittybubbles85]

Really helpful video thankyou :)

[@thehencam]

@LazyMooMoo My birds are too big to handle them that way. You can do that for bantams.

[@xxfrostfuryxxx6582]

Even before I watched this, I just naturally started holding my chickens like this idk why

[@JJMedusa]

Great video!

[@StevenEgu]

BAWWWWWWWWWWWWWK!!!!! lol. That chicken REALLY liked being handled.

[@CoreenT]

Very helpful. Thank you.

[@richardmckay8435]

I have some of the brown hybrids and a few coo coo mirans.

[@Princeaboo]

Hi Love your website, it is the best!

[@glacim]

i dont own chickins but i occasionly go to my school farm and visit the chickins and pick them up, these grey chickens allways allow themselves to be picked up

[@thehencam]

Your hen isn't pecking out of meanness. That's how she sees what is good to eat, and everything, even your hand, is worth investigating. If you handle her, she'll learn that you aren't food. Take a low stool out to the pen and sit quietly with your chickens until all of you are comfortable and calm. When you feed them treats, toss them away from you so they don't learn to peck at you for food. It should be an enjoyable time for all.

[@jstu8]

Sometimes I feel like my girls & my roo don’t really respond to their heads or backs being petted. I wondered if it was from blind spots or that being the vulnerable area predators attack from. I have noticed though that most of chickens seem to enjoy gentle cheek & ear strokes (in the direction of feathers). Except my roo. He doesn’t like the ears or the waddles, just the cheeks. A few enjoy an under feather neck scratch. It seems you can tell when they like being pet somewhere bc they get what I call soft eyes. They slightly close their eyes & look at you, sometimes coo, as opposed to shaking their heads or ignoring you or looking around like get me out of here. lol

[@mrmangosir]

Useful video thanks..

[@carrola1984]

great video. thanks.

[@denzelolore453]

Thank you this helps a lot

[@thehencam]

Yes, but their bottoms are so fluffy that you have to move the feathers a bit :)

[@thehencam]

Feather loss has many causes. I have a couple of FAQs on my website, HenCam.com, that will help you to figure out what the underlying issue is.

[@thehencam]

Have you tried sitting quietly near them on a low stool? It sounds like for some reason they have become fearful. Don't grab and don't chase them. Let them come to you. Chickens are curious and they should come over. You can put something yummy at your feet. Don't try picking them up until you can move around without them running in fear.

[@nunziasposito808]

Almost 2 months I am a chicken owner, they know me they come up to me as they know I bring them treats but they hate to be petted or picked up, what should I do? They escape as soon as I lift my hand

[@s0ftskulls545]

The hen you held looks like my chicken but my chicken is much smaller and my chickens not safe because dogs all around me

[@thehencam]

Australorp. My website has a bios page and you can read about her.

[@jackie5046]

There's no way my hen will let me do that. She was pretty compliant.... Any suggestions about how to handle a difficult bird? She is also gigantic by the way...!

[@RavenReedStarr]

I have one little two month old pullet who gets so excited when I hold out treats in my hand that she bites me by accident. I know it is an accident because I pick her up all the time and she never does it, even though she is not happy about being held. It is only when the treats are out and she goes into a feeding frenzy. I refer to her as my feathery shark. Any ideas on how to let her know that the bites hurt? None of my other three pullets do this.

[@thelob5429]

This is the quiet kid in the James bond villain school

[@xTinkerBell265x]

She's just checking you out i think. My Barred Rock does it to me when i've just painted my nails and used to do it all the time when she was younger. think it's because she want to see if its food or if you are at all edible. Just go buy some treats (Worms EW!) And hand them to her. They have good eyesight (not at nighttime though) and she should choose it over your fingers. But seriously, my hen will refuse treats if i've got red nails haha. Sometime shell even go for my earrings.

[@KaylahDemi]

My rooster Honey is silver laced wyandotte and white leghorn and I carry him around all the time. He's gotten used to travel on my arm, but he leaves little scratches and it makes people think I cut myself.

[@thehencam]

Chicken lice don't give a whit for humans - no worries about them getting and staying on you. For advice about lice, go to my blog at HenCam. Check the archives and FAQ. Lots of info there.

[@ezradoodoohead3971]

You did great thnx

[@kcanti1]

Hi there, thanks for the video, books do no justice to how on earth to pick them up so this was really helpful, in honour of how helpful I found this video I named one of my Light Sussex henss Twinkydink, lemme tell you that ones got attitude. Oh by the way do they mind being stroked, mine dont seem to mind once they relise im just stroking them, and once ive started they dont want me to stop lol. Thanks again for the vid

[@mimskiz198]

This is the right HUMAIN way to pick up a chicken

[@clyldegoat3385]

You have brown layers, black osterlops and barred rocks like me but i have one that i do not know the breed of

[@theartist53]

Love your pallet fence!! So what do I do with a molting hen that the rest are picking on relentlessly?

[@dontheogre5230]

Hi! I have a question. I hope you can help me. Im very new with this. We have one hen. She laid eggs in a medium size box and had 11eggs. 6 eggs hatched already. But the hen already move out of the box together with the 6 chicks. Is she still going back for the 5 eggs? Are the 5eggs still going to hatch? Thank you.

[@SNSD914]

is the brown chicken you got earlier a red star? just asking thanks

[@LovelyBones168]

Can you do a video on how you bonded soo close with your hens?

[@sophiawang9210]

Great help, thanks! We own 8 chicks, and one is looking like he's going to die! He has bare patches where no yellow is, and he's always laying down, not eating the food we give him, has mucus in his eyes, etc. Please Help!

[@haider7866]

Is the chicken still alive?

[@namedyukinne4398]

I know how to raise chicken but never knew how to pick them up

[@Erick-uf6gi]

Do chickens have large talons

[@andreainfinnland]

Chicken don't breathe well on their backs, so it would be kinder to avoid turning them around like that for examination. Better hold their feet, supporting their belly.

[@Natalyaandall]

We noticed that our newly purchased silkie chick picking her feathers near her vent so her butt is becoming more and more bold. The chuck is 5 days old. What to do about that?

[@thehencam]

Natalyaandall Go to my website, HenCam.com, and you'll find a FAQ about feather picking, and there are also many posts on that topic. I don't have enough info from your short note to know exactly what is going on. Through my web site you can contact me if the FAQ doesn't work.

[@Doofpilled]

Is it the same for roosters

[@santiagonov1999]

my chicken cant move i guess she broke her leg or wings and when she tries to drink water she throws it up a little bit

[@thehencam]

I have FAQs about pecking and aggression at HenCam.com. But, if she's molting out of season, it could be a sign of illness and that's the real reason they're pecking.

[@sorin990]

Pick up birb by holding it like burger !

[@ApricotArtLover]

my chcikens are very skittish. ive only had them a few month but we havent been able to bond much... mostly because im a little scared to pick them up. one is kinda mean and tries pecking my hand. any suggestions?

[@kenprepp7259]

What kind of pen grounding is that ?? I'm not caring for sand and I use way too much pine shavings, so trying to find a good ground cover for them.

[@thehencam]

ky prepper The outside pen is dirt with sand added for drainage. I have a FAQ about coop bedding at my website, HenCam.com

[@kenprepp7259]

thehencam Thank you !

[@sandipicard1201]

The HenCam

[@demilee4060]

I have chickens myself and I have 3 one of them keeps running away from me when I try pick her up and also I give them all mealworms and she is a red star chicken how can I get her to like me xo

[@hopeup2792]

Is twinkydink and astrolorpe?

[@demilee4060]

How many chickens have you got

[@nolavanhorr7452]

Kool... I am doing it right! :)

[@demilee4060]

Kwl

[@lauranickerson09]

What breed is TwinkyDink? I used to have that same kind, I think.

[@ShuyanStoryTeller]

are they adult chickens? they look much smaller than mine.

[@Aaron-Miller-1138]

Yeah they have to be.

[@RobotBadger]

@thedavejayshow Make a video. I'm sure people would want to see it.

[@thehencam]

You could train them to follow a target stick instead of your hand.

[@candicerivers9775]

Crocks in a chicken coop. Should strain the chicken poop like play dough.

[@juliannawagner8303]

how would you suggest picking up a sidish chicken?

[@Aaron-Miller-1138]

Probably the same way.😏

[@juliannawagner8303]

Ryjel Destiny I guess my version would just contain a lot of running....

[@juliannawagner8303]

Ryjel Destiny haha XD

[@Aaron-Miller-1138]

Unless you corner them then catch them.

[@juliannawagner8303]

Ryjel Destiny she would be scared to death.

[@whisterv]

Chickens

[@Hiphop4LifeSub4Sub]

cute :)

[@clakscovsky]

Chickens are like cats except they're chickens

[@MrsReverendDr]

I always get badly scratched by the toe nails!

[@steve_pop]

If you could see the likes and dislikes there would be 4 billion likes and -82491428536 dislikes! You have to see the minus on dislikes!!!

[@demilee4060]

@thehencam