No Love

[Arwenelfmaiden]

I can understand where you're coming from.  When you see photos of chickens riding on people's shoulders and hear stories about a very special chicken bonding completely with the family, it can be hard to want that with yours and not get it.  Give them a little time.  They'll come to you if you don't worry so much about pleasing them and give them some space.  They're pretty young yet - just as you are learning to be a chicken owner, they are still learning to be chickens.  

I highlighted one phrase in your post that caught my eye, and I wanted to give you a little food for thought.  Define "successful".  If you don't feel successful because they don't follow you around like spring lambs follow their moms, then that is a problem for you.  But if you define "successful" as having healthy chickens who are living in a good, clean environment with plenty to do, the freedom to be chickens, getting a good diet with a few treats tossed in, and who will reward you with delicious eggs and their antics, then you have indeed been very successful.  My dad used to tell us  "You can't climb to a success point and stop.  You have to reach the underside of success and then build on it, little by little. Be satisfied with the small steps because it's the journey that measures the success."  I hope you get what you want.  But remember that they are just chickens....balls of feather and feet, and it's unfair to ask them for more than they are prepared to give yet.

Good luck!

 

[Arwenelfmaiden]

Thank you for you're sound advise. The success I hope for is to learn more everyday about my 6 girls, to be the best human they could have caring for them & that they are happy so they will lay eggs for me. That's my reward, if I so I deserve.

 

[Alexandra33]

Thank you Alexandra33! I'm waiting to enjoy the more changes that keep coming. I don't put any effort into anything alive without caring for its originality & it's life. And its wonderful when your efforts are rewarded, in positive forms.

You're very welcome, @Arwenelfmaiden ! My own efforts have just recently been rewarded since nearly all of those "babies" are now laying white, tan, pink, blue, green, terra cotta red, and dark chocolate eggs for me.

-Alex

 

[JEsqueda]

Ha! I understand the sentiment

If it is any comfort, my girls will ALL let me touch, pet, and cuddle them the day they started to lay, and not a day sooner. Those who have yet to go into lay want nothing to do with me, other than running over to eat the treats I have to offer.

I'm not super into chicken cuddling, but being able to physically pick up your hen occasionally certainly has made life a bit easier around here!

 

[TBirdsTheWord33]

Quote:
Quick, someone breed those! I've GOT to have one...haha! Seriously, though, I am glad to be of encouragement, Arwenelfmaiden. It is apparent to me that you are a wonderful, caring chicken mom and that your girls are blessed to have a home with you. Best wishes!

 

[Arwenelfmaiden]

FORTUNATE, LOVING OWNERS-YOU ARE BLESSES, MY FRIEND

 

[Arwenelfmaiden]

Quote: Hey thank you for the nice and sincere thoughts. That means a lot to me & was very thoughtful. Likewise, my friend!
My girls are the highlight of my day & I am positive likewise with them, when I let them Free Range on our large property for a few hours everyday, unless it rains. Gives me time to Crochet while I keep an eye on things from a nice bench.

Since they were born, I specially ordered some of them & was so excited. Now grown, all 6 are very special to me. I've done everything right so far so I have been blessed, for sure. They are like the grandchildren I don't have, yet…..

Alina

 

[DanEP]

Two points, 1. Almost all chickens go thru what I call a teenage phase where you are just the one who buys food and supply the cell phone. This will end about the time they start laying. 2. A chased chicken is a flighty chicken. No prey animal see's being chased as a good thing. If they didn't have the run when being chased instinct there wouldn't be any chickens left. Sit down with treats and let them come to you.
My girls get the heels off the bread, but if they want some they have to come to me. I don't pick them up or try to pet them but they will sit on the back porch steps and tell me about their day. They trust me, some more than others. That's just chickens.

 

[shortgrass]

Two points, 1. Almost all chickens go thru what I call a teenage phase where you are just the one who buys food and supply the cell phone. This will end about the time they start laying. 2. A chased chicken is a flighty chicken. No prey animal see's being chased as a good thing. If they didn't have the run when being chased instinct there wouldn't be any chickens left. Sit down with treats and let them come to you.
  My girls get the heels off the bread, but if they want some they have to come to me. I don't pick them up or try to pet them but they will sit on the back porch steps and tell me about their day. They trust me, some more than others. That's just chickens. 

LOL... That about sums it up...

 

[eleaserek]

Huh, now that you mention it, my 5 pullets totally went through that "flighty" phase!! I was also feeling a little bummed that they weren't more friendly, but they have just continued to settle down after they started laying. They are right about 8 months old now, and while a couple (my EE and my white rock) are still not really cuddly, my barred rock jumps onto my lap at every opportunity.
Course, when they were being really standoffish, I started bribing them with real live meal worms from petsmart

now, even the ones that don't like being picked up will let me pet them and come running just on the off chance I've got goodies!

Edited because I can't spell