Okay, i am debating about keeping a particular silkie cockerel. He was hatched from eggs i bought from HatTrick Silkies. He is gorgeous! But he has this very bad habit of biting me, really hard, whenever i pick him up. And he doesn't just do a nip, he bites and hangs on. Both my wrists are bruised and scarred from him.
Once i pick him up, he's fine, i can tote him around and he calms down. And maybe his problem is he gets startled when i go to pick him up since his crest is so large. But even when i pet him across the back first then go to pick him up, he turns and bites. Only way i have avoided it is to pull his tail a bit, then when he moves forward i slip my hands under his wings. But i can't always accomplish this maneuver quickly enough to avoid his beak.
He's the only bird i have that does this, as i tend to get rid of anyone who is not nice. But he's just so pretty, and i was hoping to breed him. Any suggestions on getting him to stop biting? Or should i just rehome him to someone with a higher threshold of pain?
Here he is, by the way:
Once i pick him up, he's fine, i can tote him around and he calms down. And maybe his problem is he gets startled when i go to pick him up since his crest is so large. But even when i pet him across the back first then go to pick him up, he turns and bites. Only way i have avoided it is to pull his tail a bit, then when he moves forward i slip my hands under his wings. But i can't always accomplish this maneuver quickly enough to avoid his beak.
He's the only bird i have that does this, as i tend to get rid of anyone who is not nice. But he's just so pretty, and i was hoping to breed him. Any suggestions on getting him to stop biting? Or should i just rehome him to someone with a higher threshold of pain?
Here he is, by the way: