Any tips on helping them be less scared of me?

[Guernica]

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.

Many many thanks! Great advice! I appreciate it!

 

[Guernica]

Update: approaching them from the SIDE has made a huge difference! For the first time since I've had them, I just had all 3 sitting on my hand & wrist picking away at chick feed I put there for them! Once they're old enough to start feeding real treats, rather than just what they have in their feeder, I think things will get a lot better.

Thanks again so much for the help!

 

[silkwormlady]

I had heard from ??? that approaching chicks from above is not a good idea. Its born into them to think: "above. Predator." So I have Sears stove box laying on its side on a plastic table, bottom flap at the bottom, from top down will be chicken wire I can flop to top of box. Hadn't that about windows ... Bet they'd like it. My husband will go nuts! He already hates the box on the table idea. And treats sound like a great idea once they're a week or so old! Treat? Must be a friend!
What do folks recommend for litter? Any use for newspaper?
Help! Chicks coming soon!

 

[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.

 

[nordicacres]

Lots of "treats" in your hand will work. I've given tiny bits of apple, cucumber, tomato, sweet bell pepper, boiled egg, whole wheat bread, etc. I started when they were three days old and made sure they had grit in the brooder. They are much more friendly and interested in me. They can't help but associate your hand with good things

 

[sunflour]

I had heard from ??? that approaching chicks from above is not a good idea. Its born into them to think: "above. Predator." So I have Sears stove box laying on its side on a plastic table, bottom flap at the bottom, from top down will be chicken wire I can flop to top of box. Hadn't that about windows ... Bet they'd like it. My husband will go nuts! He already hates the box on the table idea. And treats sound like a great idea once they're a week or so old! Treat? Must be a friend!
What do folks recommend for litter? Any use for newspaper?
Help! Chicks coming soon!

Newspaper covered with paper towels - for traction, works for the first week to teach them what is food, but after that you will need to change to a real litter. Most folks use pine shavings.

Careful about the chicken wire, it won't keep them in, they can just walk right through it. Hardware cloth has smaller holes to keep them in. If you do decide to do a wire side, make sure you have a place that is devoid of drafts. It is easier to provide warmth from above lighting and solid sides. They also make a lot of dust. Even with a wire topped brooder the area surrounding it will be the great dust bowl. When they are only a few weeks old, you will be surprised at how high they can flap and jump. I don't think I could have kept mine in the brooder during feed and water changes with a front opening brooder. I used a metal 3 x4 foot by 2 foot tall water trough - like the one the feed stores use. And made a removable wood framed hardware cloth lid. As they grew had to only open half at a time to keep the kids from escaping the brooder. Their wing marks in the brooder dust reached almost to the top of the thing.

If you haven't already done so, please explore the learning center article and the forums on raising baby chicks, there's a lot of info there to help you ready for your chicks.

One think I was not prepared for was pasty butts. Although I had studied and had notes on everything to do, I honestly did not know these were fairly common and had 2 of 6 chicks get the paste. But so easy to take care of, just want to advise to really examine the butts daily for the first week.

Would love to see pics of your chicks when you get them.