Birds are prey animals. Even the more friendly ones might feel a bit uncomfortable with the idea of being held. Most poultry owners will need to pick up their bird at some point in order to inspect them for health issues or to transport them to a new area. I don’t know of anyone, myself included, who looks forward to having to pick up a bird. 

This article will demonstrate the safest and most efficient way to pick up and carry a bird. 

Some folks carry their birds by their hocks (ankles) and this is effective in ensuring you maintain a safe distance from their claws and wings, but it’s not so great for the bird over longer distances. As with humans, when suspended upside down, the blood rushes to their head which can cause them to lose consciousness. I’ve seen a lot of folks recommend this method when dealing with an ornery rooster as a way to calm them down, but the rooster is not actually calm. Rather, it is disoriented. This method should also not be used when transporting ducks as structurally, they have weak legs. 

Following is the method I picked up through trial and error after receiving cuts on my hands and arms, more than a few wings slapped in my face, and having had several escapes.

The way I do it is I put one hand on the birds chest to stop them from moving forward and the other hand on their back to steady them. Then I move both hands to either side of the bird, covering their wings, and then I lift them up. After tucking them under my arm, I then secure their feet to keep them from flailing about and also to prevent scratches to my clothing and person. For lighter and less flighty birds, you can get away with a one arm hold. For the heavier and more flighty birds, I prefer to use both hands. Using both hands is probably the safer way as it offers more control over the animal. 

With some of the more calm birds, you can get away with a one-handed hold which is especially helpful when you’re by yourself and need another hand free to open a door or pick something else up. As long as you secure the feet and wings, however you prefer to hold the bird doesn’t matter. Whether you prefer to use both hands or the one-handed armpit tuck, the idea is the same: keep the wings and feet immobile in a manner that is safe for the bird. They won’t like it, but they also won’t incur injury to themselves or to you from trying to escape. One loose wing can mean the difference between a quick and easy transport or an hour-long recapture.  

Step one: Place one hand in front of the birds chest to keep it from moving and the other hand on top of its back. 

Step two: Move your hands over its wings, ensuring they are firmly against its sides. 

Step three: Lift the bird. If you lose a wing in the process, put the bird down and start over. 

For heavier birds such as turkeys and geese, the process is the same, but rather than lifting by the sides, fold your upper body over the back of the bird, wrap your arms over its wings and across its chest, hug it firmly to your chest, and then lift. If you lose a wing, put the bird down and start over.

Step four: Transfer the bird to your dominant side and tuck the body of the bird under your arm like a football. 

Step five: Ensure the wings of the bird are flat against its body. A loose wing can come forcibly free and cause issues with the transport. 

Step six: Grab both hocks with one hand. Typically, the hand belonging to the arm that the bird is tucked under. 

The reason you grab their hocks is because if they lurch with their body to escape your tuck, you still have ahold of their feet and can readjust without losing the bird. With some breeds, like Muscovy, it also keeps their razor sharp claws from cutting you up in an attempt to free themselves.  

Note: The “one-handed armpit tuck” may not work for some birds of larger breeds such as turkey toms which can typically weigh upwards of 20 pounds. In those cases, I usually have to hold them hugged tightly against me with both arms so their wings don’t slap me in the face. One hand is still firmly grasping their hocks as extra insurance. 

I had a friend recently tell me that I make it look easy. Not all birds will be as easy to catch. Sometimes, two or more people and/or a net is needed to capture the bird, but once the bird is procured, the method to carry them should be the same. The more difficult it is to capture, the more flighty the bird will be in transit and you’ll need to hold it more securely, both for their safety as well as your own.

In all fairness to my friend, she is absolutely right. Most of the photos on initially picking up the bird are staged. I was only able to achieve that because the birds I used were fairly calm to begin with. I haven’t always been so fortunate and to learn about the methods I use to actually capture a bird, check out the article titled, How To Catch An Elusive Bird.