[dinosaw]

I think it depends very much on the individual bird, mine range from a goldline who is more than happy to be stroked (she actually comes back for more) and is relatively happy to be picked up and handled as long as I don't drag it out,  to a skyline who will feed from my hand but certainly wants nothing more to do with me than that and is the only one of my birds to make a huge fuss when handled for mite checks. I think breed can play a part but have another skyline (nervy skittish breed)  who is happier in my company than the other one of my goldlines (placid docile breed). With regard to speckeldies I had always heard that they were meant to be a docile friendly breed. I am currently trying 'make freinds' with a couple of leghorns (must be mad) and after three weeks have them eating from my hand but to be honest because their temperament is so flighty will never expect them to be happy being stroked or handled. I normally leave the birds be for the first couple of weeks, just stand in the run and observe them and get them used to me, talk to them a bit, I then start hand feeding corn or fruit and veg and very slowly and gently try to stroke them, if they move away i dont push it and try again next time. Once the bird is stressed or wary you are wasting your time and just making the situation worse. Its just my opinion and I'm no expert but if your bluebelle hates being picked up then picking her up will simply reinforce her wariness of you, I would limit it to around once a fortnight at least until you have won her trust a little more with treats etc. Keep at it though and they will come round to feed out of your hand at least, just don't push it.
PS
When feeding them out of your hand throw small bits to them first starting a couple of feet away and then getting ever closer to you, greed will eventually overcome fear! , good luck.

[Carla]

Barbara the Blubelle came wandering out of the coop this morning with a large crop...yup, sour crop. Great! So in my dressing gown, at half 7 this morning, there I was trying to corner her so I could sort her out. 15 minutes later, she ran inside the green house  I emptied her crop, and had to do it ALL over again when I got home from work!! I'm exhausted  :blink:  So whatever progress I'd made, has been all undone by chasing her down to sort her out. She's a much happier hen with an empty crop though, she looked thourghly miserable today. Had to be done though, I couldnt leave her. Maybe her yoghurt coated mealworms might coax her to me in the morning.
It was much easier keeping gerbils 

[Lindeggs]

Ah yes, gerbil eggs for breakfast... 

You might actually find that you haven't done too much damage to your relationship with Barbara!  When my Light Sussex was sick I had to catch her twice a day to give her antibiotics (a pill down her throat!) I thought she would never forgive me, but all the enforced handling actually made us both more confident around each other.