How to Tame a Crazy Live Chicken
Chickens are farm animals but some people keep them as pets. No matter the reason for keeping chickens, one still needs to learn the basics of handling them. Chickens can sometimes act wild, whether they were captive-raised or not. Before you attempt to get close to the bird, you must first know the basics of taming a chicken that is out of control or "crazy."
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Things You'll Need
- Bag
- Food
- Water
- Nesting place
- Chicken treats (meal worms, wild bird seed, sunflower seeds)
Instructions
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Walk slowly toward the chicken. Make as little noise as possible and slowly raise your hands, holding the bag up. Drop the bag over the top of the chicken and quickly pull up, trapping the chicken inside.
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Place the chicken on a flat surface, with its back touching the surface. Remove the bag and gently rub the sternum of the chicken, using two fingers. Massage the area carefully, which hypnotizes the bird and helps keep it calm. The chicken should stay hypnotized for several minutes or longer.
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3
Build a nesting place for the chicken, giving the bird a place where it feels comfortable. Give the chicken several days to get used to the new environment and learn its surroundings. Remember that a wild bird or one taken from a farm needs to adjust to its new home.
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4
Move as close to the chicken as possible during regular feeding time or when you see it eating. Step as close as you can without the chicken running away or becoming angry. Keep one eye on the chicken and begin backing away if you notice it growing agitated.
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Watch the chicken as it eats and slowly work on getting closer to the bird during feeding time. Each day, move a few steps closer to the chicken. This gives the bird time to realize that you aren't a threat, and that you won't hurt it or take away its food.
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Touch the chicken as it eats, gently rubbing your hand against its head or back. Only do this step after the chicken is comfortable with you standing next to it as it eats. Offer the chicken a few treats, placing the treats near its food dish. Gradually begin moving your hand closer to the treats, until the chicken realizes that the treats come from you and starts taking it from your hand. The chicken should now be tamer than when you started.
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Tips & Warnings
Remember that certain breeds of chickens are tamer than others. Some chickens may never grow accustomed to being around people, while others are comfortable being held like any other pet.
Avoid making loud noises while massaging the chicken. Any loud noise causes the chicken to snap out of its calm state.
References
- Photo Credit chicken image by Sergey Goruppa from Fotolia.com
