How delicate are chickens??

[TheRealFowlLove]

Ever since I got my first chick I've been viewing chicken's as these fragile, easily injured fluffy babies that I must protect from falls and trips of any kind. I have panic attacks when they run too fast and turn sharply and put their wing out to turn; it looks and sounds painful! Don't even get me started on when they jump from my feces/trees!!! Sometimes I worry if I feel like I'm holding them wrong and I'm squishing their crop or hurting them in some other way that they just aren't registering.

The rest of my Southern-born family, however, sees the way I treat chicken's as ridiculous, silly, and childlike. My grandfather says that chickens are the hardiest, strongest and hardest to hurt of all of the birds. he said he once had a chicken growing up that would regularly jump off the roof of his house to the floor below and she lived to be 10 years old never once getting hurt from jumping that high.

I will seriously put myself into an anxiety or panic attacks over whether or not my birds should be handled delicately or not. This is a problem because if I ever pick them up and do one wrong thing I panic and usually end up dropping them which causes me more panic and makes my chicken's not want to be near me. (they never seem hurt... more like annoyed... but that doesn't it stop my anxiety ridden mind from racing).

Please, fellow chicken mothers with your wise and learned experience, am I babying my chickens too much? Should I stop acting like they're made of glass? And if so how much punishment can a hen's body take before something bad DOES happen???

Your responses will Aid in stopping my panic attacks and hopefully stop me from being neurotic around my fluffy girls

 

[Kiki]

You should probably not handle your birds at all...then you won't drop them/let them go at all...and you will worry less.
They may be pets but they are not babies.

 

[getaclue]

I wouldn't say you are babying them too much, but you are definitely worrying too much. Yes, they can get hurt, but when they do things on their own, like jumping up to, and off of a fence post, they don't usually get injured. You dropping them, on the other hand, can injure them. Learn how to hold them, so you don't drop them. Stop worrying so much.

 

[BantyChooks]

Adults? Or chicks? Dropping them could be an issue if they're young, but them running around is just fine.

They are most definitely not made of glass, lol. You can stop worrying. My bantams fly probably over 10' up in the trees sometimes and survive coming down just fine. LF birds don't go much higher than 6--7' for jumping purposes. If they do go that high, some say it increases their risk of bumblefoot (landing on sharp things) but I have never had issues with it.

 

[BantyChooks]

You should probably not handle your birds at all...then you won't drop them/let them go at all...and you will worry less.
They may be pets but they are not babies.

Good idea. Also, learning more secure holds might help.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Honestly if I drop my chickens they just flap and fly down. Really doesn't bother them much.

If the thought of dropping them while holding them is what's worrying you, then maybe enjoy them without picking them up? Most chickens don't enjoy it that much anyway.

 

[Tlmcq]

Most do not want to be picked up and held. The one's that do will let you easily pick em up or hop in your lap. Chicks, especially, can be injured from a fall or drop. Most older chickens just flap there way down. They aren't as fragile as glass by any means, but if you're not comfortable and informed on how they should be handled they can be hurt.

 

[peckpeckpeck]

Welcome!
Chickens aren't that fragile. And it sounds like yours are not super young if they are already flying onto fences & trees.

My girls regularly fly up 5-6 feet & also launch themselves across the lawn 50+feet. I'm really proud that they have the confidence & ability to. It means they're capable of getting away from a predator if they need to.

If you want to handle them without being afraid to drop them, try sitting in a chair & give them treats as they hop on & off your lap. I keep black oil sunflower seeds in my pocket for this. They like it better than if I pick them up. Sometimes they'll even stay a while for a quick snuggle or a roost & chitchat.

One advice -- prepare a chicken first aid kit. Vet wrap, bluekote, antibiotic etc. That way you can also be prepared & have a plan if something does happen (knock on wood it doesn't). There are some great threads here on first aid.

Good luck!

 

[peckpeckpeck]

 

[ramboas93]

I used to have a rooster that would always flog me during feeding time(never any other time only during feeding time) and i would boot that sucker pretty darn hard everytime, and he never sustained an injury and always came back for more. So ya id say their pretty hardy animals.