Any tips on helping them be less scared of me?

[Guernica]

Would welcome any tips on helping my chickies be less scared of me. I do pick them up and hold them gently 2-3 times a day until they stop struggling, but they still wig out every time the lid comes off their brooder.

Unfortunately I suspect the answer is going to be "spend more time with them" and that's a problem, since I have an indoor/outdoor farm cat who is dying to get his paws on them! I had to move them to a spare bedroom with a door that locks, and I'm still convinced I'm going to come home from work one night to an open door and chicks that turned into chicken dinner.

Right now we're in the middle of a spring freeze so Bad@$$ Farm Cat is staying indoors.

Should I sit in there, take them out and actually play with them a bit?

Thanks!

 

[ScenicViews]

This what I built. It is made from cardboard, with pallet supports on the sides and chicken wire. You don't see the "lid" on, but it is just a large piece of cardboard that I set on top, just in case they decide to "fly the coop". They are so much happier now. Out of 7, only one will come to me to be held on a regular basis, but the others will let me hold them, they just aren't as friendly as my Buffy (I know lazy name for a Buff Orpington). I will be moving them to the Coop next weekend.

 

[azygous]

There are so many questions asked here just like yours, and back when I had just finished raising my first batch of chicks from day-olds, I was asking it myself. It seemed the chicks were more scared each day that passed, racing away from me screeching as if I was intending to kill them.

It was long about then someone told me about BYC and I had joined, saw this question right off the bat, and read some of the posts. The one thing everyone who had this problem had in common was the brooder on the floor with a top access. The light bulb suddenly went on!

Avoid top access brooders! I'm into utilizing free stuff every chance I get, so I use discarded cardboard appliance cartons for brooders. I really had fun with that first side-access brooder I built. I cut windows and doors into it, covering the windows in see-through plastic, and the door came downward like opening a bread box. I placed the brooder on a table and pulled up a chair. I was able to play with my chicks with them remaining in their brooder and whenever I would reach in, not a one would run away screeching!

Later on, I added another box, taped it to the first one and cut a pass-though into the common wall, and the chicks had a two room condo with lots of room to race from one end to the other.

So, the secret to tame chicks is handling them from the side, never from above. If you can slide your hand in slowly right up to their toes, they will step onto your palm. They get used to doing that and then you never need to grab them. Tame chicks grow into tame chickens.

 

[sunflour]

@Guernica I gave mine a mashed up boiled egg yolk when they were less than a week old, and they loved it. At a week you can start dried mealy worms, but make sure to mix some chick grit into their food. Hold each dried worm in your fingers and they'll come running. Let one get one and they run around like crazy with their fist food run. Be sure to have a camera ready, it is an absolute riot. Once they associate you with treats, then you'll be #1. When you are around the brooder talk to them, the more they hear you, the more they know you.

Good luck, have fun.

 

[ScenicViews]

The lid on the brooder is what is making them skiddish. They think you are a predator. I had to change the set up on my brooder, to make them less scared. Once I did that they were much more at ease.

Good luck, and I hope you find a way to make the lid more "chicken" friendly.

I have 7 six week olds in a large what I call an indoor coop, they can see all around them, and when I come to visit, they all come running. and they don't freak out when I take the top off any more, because they can see me.

 

[kyexotics]

Should I sit in there, take them out and actually play with them a bit?

Thanks!

YES!!!! We have 5 dogs that, especially now that weather is nicer, we throw outside and it's chick time!...I'll lay on floor or couch and let a bunch play on me, sometimes an entire cage full so the wife can clean cage...We all have our parts to play! ;-) I'm looking forward to throwing dogs out today as my pultans are so friendly, I want to play with them by hiding mealworms!

 

[Guernica]

The lid on the brooder is what is making them skiddish. They think you are a predator. I had to change the set up on my brooder, to make them less scared. Once I did that they were much more at ease.

Good luck, and I hope you find a way to make the lid more "chicken" friendly.

I have 7 six week olds in a large what I call an indoor coop, they can see all around them, and when I come to visit, they all come running. and they don't freak out when I take the top off any more, because they can see me.

If you don't mind my asking, what did you do to your brooder? Mine is a plastic bin w/ clear sides so that they can see me coming, and I always announce myself, but I think you may be right about the brooder lid!

 

[Guernica]

That's gorgeous!! Thanks!!

 

[microchick]

My 2 wk old 8 Buff Orps and 4 Welsummers all run to the front of the brooder excited to see me when I raise the front access panel. My secret? I always have a treat in my hand when I invade their territory. They know I will have either a piece of a slice of whole wheat bread or some meal worms for them and trust me, they expect me to have something for them. Once they have enjoyed their treat they are much more accepting to me handling them. You will always have a few that protest, just be persistent and gentle with them. It only took a few days of 'treating' them to get them eagerly searching my hand to see what I had for them.

 

[Guernica]

My 2 wk old 8 Buff Orps and 4 Welsummers all run to the front of the brooder excited to see me when I raise the front access panel. My secret? I always have a treat in my hand when I invade their territory. They know I will have either a piece of a slice of whole wheat bread or some meal worms for them and trust me, they expect me to have something for them. Once they have enjoyed their treat they are much more accepting to me handling them. You will always have a few that protest, just be persistent and gentle with them. It only took a few days of 'treating' them to get them eagerly searching my hand to see what I had for them.

Thanks. I for sure plan on giving lots of treats, but at 5 days old mine are still a bit too young for that, yes?