All my retics strike the front of their cages when I enter the room. Babies in racks sound like popcorn when I walk by. They have a conditioned feeding response. Your presence means food likely and they attempt to eat anything that moves or is warm.

This is the Retic

Now you need to make sure you have jump back room and prepare for a few lunges whenever you open the cage.use a hook to gently redirect them back and try touching them gently on the head. My retics will swipe and strike an average of 3 times at the hook, me etc and then realize that no food is coming and settle down and be handled starting with the hook once they stop responding to you and the hook in a hungry manner.

Whole Chickens can be fed but stats are bulky and nasty smelling.

Chickens also carry salmonella more than rodents.

No need to over feed as this is not the problem.

Chicken parts also carry salmonella potentially and do not offer full nutrition, though in the old days I used to slide in chicken legs as animal was finishing its rat.

Winslow