My chickens hate me

[BantammChick]

Ok I’m being dramatic.

But my 9-10 week olds seem pretty scared of me. I handled them daily as little chicks but wasn’t “snuggly” with them like I see so many people are. They now live in a run outside. They don’t exactly run and hide when I enter (mainly cause they know I usually come with something special) but I cannot pick them up without either chasing or waiting for the exact right moment one is distracted close enough to me. 2 will come peck at my shoes if I stay still but the rest keep their distance.

I’m not trying to make them lap chickens, but im already struggling to do health checks on them and I worry it’s only going to get more difficult. Is it normal for chickens to be this flighty? Is there anything I can do to help earn some trust or is it too late?

Breeds are:
RIR (jury is out in sex)
White leghorn (pullet)
barred Plymouth Rock (pullet)
Easter egger (pullet)
Buff Orphington (pullet)
Blue maran (cockerel)

In my experiences leghorns seem naturally flighty lol
But one thing you can do to make them more tame, take some treats that they really like out to the coop, and just sit there with them. They'll start coming up to you and eventually you should be able to pick them up no trouble

 

[McHomestead]

Ok I’m being dramatic.

But my 9-10 week olds seem pretty scared of me. I handled them daily as little chicks but wasn’t “snuggly” with them like I see so many people are. They now live in a run outside. They don’t exactly run and hide when I enter (mainly cause they know I usually come with something special) but I cannot pick them up without either chasing or waiting for the exact right moment one is distracted close enough to me. 2 will come peck at my shoes if I stay still but the rest keep their distance.

I’m not trying to make them lap chickens, but im already struggling to do health checks on them and I worry it’s only going to get more difficult. Is it normal for chickens to be this flighty? Is there anything I can do to help earn some trust or is it too late?

Breeds are:
RIR (jury is out in sex)
White leghorn (pullet)
barred Plymouth Rock (pullet)
Easter egger (pullet)
Buff Orphington (pullet)
Blue maran (cockerel)

We've had ours since April, they just turned 18wks, roughly. We've handled them all on and off mixed bantams and barred rocks,. I've noticed it depends on the individual chicken. Some come up to you and are social , others only if you have food. The more we try to grab at them the more skittish they get. If I go in and ignore them, they won't leave me alone!

 

[LVB]

Mine loved me when they were a day old. Then they grew a little and hate me. Now they are beginning to think I may not be so bad.
I don't have any lap chickens but my older ones seem to enjoy hanging out with me.

Anthropomorphizing big time -- isn't this what happens? Love you when they're little, hate you when teens, then when they get older they hopefully begin to think you may not be so bad.