How to hold a chicken

If you keep chickens as pets, breeding or showing it is very important that you know how to hold them. For me this has been quite a difficult obstacle to overcome as I do have a slight fear of their beaks. My partner Graham breeds and shows Leghorns and has over hundred poultry now and I only have three Partridge Pekin bantams (one of which is in the picture above!). However, even though I have been around chickens for about eight years now, it`s only recently that I have been able to actually pick them up.

To pick them up you have to be quite decisive and just kind of sweep them up! That`s if you can of course! This is easier said than done with some breeds. The Leghorns do tend to be a little more flighty. The pekin breed do tend to be more docile. The more you pick them up the more they will get used to you. I am picking mine up now once a day around feeding time. I pick each one up, smooth them down and then I feed them all, as if it`s a reward for being good chickens and letting me pick them up!

Picking them up and holding them:-

• Hold them down from the top so you are holding their wings and then sweep you other hand underneath them (so your forearm is coming towards them).
• Put your middle finger between their legs and then your next two fingers either side hold the other side of their legs. This is so their legs don`t wriggle, because their claws can be pretty sharp!

• You can then sometimes hold their wings down (so they don`t flap about!) with your thumb and little finger either side.

To be able to hold them with one hand is important if you want to check them over for medical reasons such as mites and also for judging at shows. If you are unable to hold their wings down with the holding hand you always have your other hand free to control the flapping. My cockerel here above is getting used to being picked up as he doesn`t flap so much now!

I still havn`t named my birds yet. I had a Partridge Pekin Bantam before and his name was Rupert (after Rupert Bear! one of my favourite characters!) and he died of old age. I find myself calling him Rupert and Rupy!? The ladies don`t have a name yet. One is fatter than the other though!