How do you make your chickens more comfortable with you?

[PrairieChickens]

I've noticed that hens get friendlier when they start to lay, too. I'm really hoping that happens with a couple of my pullets that I bought this year. They're scared to death of me right now, despite being handled with nothing but love from day one. e_e My husband and I call it "pulling a Goldie" after a red sexlink hen from our first flock who was terrified of people her entire life until suddenly one day she was our best friend. She became our favorite hen until she passed away from a medical condition about a year ago.

 

[ll]

Pull her off the roost before it gets dark and walk around the yard with her.

They go in way before it gets dark, there is plenty of daylight left.
I end the walk with a sit session, never letting her go; then walk her back to the hen house and place her back on the roost where I got her from. Last night there was so much daylight left that I let her hop off my lap & walk back in on her own. She stopped for an extra drink & snack before going thru the pop door.

 

[Khavilah]

This is the best thread ever.
My chicks are mostly skittish little creatures, but some are coming around. My older ones are a little more tolerant. Some of them.

I did get Sir Soupington (the rooster) to eat out of my hand.

 

[sew0913]

TREATS, TREATS, and more TREATS. Anytime I go outside, they run to me and follow me everywhere. Three fight to sit on my lap (and shoulders sometimes) while the others just stay close. They're just over four months old and not laying yet. I do have a new 'rescue' hen (she was getting beat up by a gang of RIRs at her old farm... she's a bit of a mess)... she won't come near me. But we're working on it... hopefully she'll come around eventually.

 

[Peanutsmomma]

Whew! Glad to know that they go through a difficult personality period from 12-18 weeks. We have 4 Buff Orps and from day 1 one they have all been precious, then at about 13 weeks 2 of them started being touch-me-nots. They are not skittish and will come up to me but they raise cain when I pick them up now. The other two are still loving being held and cuddled and follow me around all over the yard. Since I spend a lot of time with them (they are super spoiled ) I couldn't for the life of me figure out what is going on. They are 16 weeks old today so hopefully we are almost out of the woods with "teenager" behavior.

 

[C-Dawg]

This thread has been an interesting read. I've been comparing what you all have said about your birds' skittishness to what I've seen in my own flock (a mix of breeds, all 7-1/2 weeks old). Holding treats in my hand always gets the birds to come right up to me, and I've been trying to reach out with my other hand and gently pet them. It's worked out perfectly with the Australorp, somewhat OK with the Austra White, not-so-well with the White Rock, and "nothing doing" with the Orpington.

 

[MissCindy]

My hens went through that same 'teenage' phase where they were much less friendly than they'd been. As soon as they started squatting, though, everyone became super friendly again. Even our Ameracauna, who was always super-shy and wouldn't let us near her, even she will come up to us for food and let us pick her up now that she's laying. We do give them lots of treats, and we talk to them and spend time with them. We keep them in the run for much of the day right now, but in the afternoons we let them out to forage in the yard (we have a fenced in yard, so it's easy for us). They love hanging out wherever we are working. Lol, a few of mine have even jumped up in the hammock with me while I was resting in the shade! I'm sure your babies will come around just as soon as they're ready to lay. Until then just keep loving them the same as always!

 

[COChix]

Great thread and lots of sound advice. So I have been working with ours since they were chicks. I spend time everyday with them, the most friendly one's are the one's that have been able to associate us with food & treats. Our RR roo is the most skittish, if you even walked towards him he goes the opposite way. He always is watching us keeping his eye on us. So I have started feeding treats by hand. The most greediest birds are our Delawares, Cornish and barred rocks, they tend to crowd the most and chase off others. Rojo, the RIR, is getting friendlier and will now take treats and food from our hands. I am working on building trust, I feed him by hand but don't always pick him up. When we do pick up anyone,we don't set them down unless they are calm and quiet.

I find sitting on the ground breaks a lot of barriers for them, like you a eat there level then, seems less intimidating for them. Keep at it and they will become more friendly. We have 28 and they are 16 weeks I think, lol. Right around there.

 

[sdm1908]

I noticed when my pullets reached the point of lay, they got VERY friendly! They would do the egg squat for me and would constantly get underfoot when I was around. All the advice has been great - the way to a chicken's heart is with treats! Mine love mealworms and will come running when I call and shake the bag. If I am too slow, they will jump up and try to get it out of my hand.

With meal works do you have to give them more grit?

 

[PolloLoquito]

What are the best treats? And when I try to give them treats they all fight each other!!!
When they were small they loved being picked up, but now that they're pullets they aren't as happy to be cuddled lol

Try raisins. My hens love raisins and will do anything for them!