In this article I will be highlighting the main ways to get your chickens(and other fowl) to adore you and be nice to you.
The first way:
Get your chickens when they are young(1-2 days) hold them and give them lots of love everyday, but not to much, you don't want your chickens to fear you or dread playtime. When you hold them put them in a soft warm space like a soft fuzzy blanket, this will make them feel like you are their mother. Keep this love consistent until they reach a size that is to big to swaddle. Then just hold them and interact with them on a daily basis. This is the most common method as it plays to your chicken's natural instinct and get them to imprint on you.
Second method:
The food/fun person. If your chickens are to old to use method one with then this is the option that will get older hens to be more comfortable with you. Give them treats and things to play with(not to many treats though) my chickens especially like leaves and jumping to grab things so I grab a fern and strip away some of the lower leaves so they won't peck near my hands. Then I dangle it a few inches above their heads(just enough so they have to jump for it) they go crazy for it! However this method does have its downsides in that it may make your chicken see you as a food source and become aggressive with you if you're near them and don't give them food.
Method three:
Talk to them! Cluck and bock and imitate them so they see you as a fellow chicken and an authority figure. It may sound weird but it works! It's also funny to see their reactions if they're just chilling and being leisurely and you bock or cluck loudly at them.
Finally use a combination of these methods, love your chickens like family members and doing all of these things has changed my chicken's attitudes towards me greatly. But you should remember that these are not foolproof plans because it all matters on the chicken itself.
The first way:
Get your chickens when they are young(1-2 days) hold them and give them lots of love everyday, but not to much, you don't want your chickens to fear you or dread playtime. When you hold them put them in a soft warm space like a soft fuzzy blanket, this will make them feel like you are their mother. Keep this love consistent until they reach a size that is to big to swaddle. Then just hold them and interact with them on a daily basis. This is the most common method as it plays to your chicken's natural instinct and get them to imprint on you.
Second method:
The food/fun person. If your chickens are to old to use method one with then this is the option that will get older hens to be more comfortable with you. Give them treats and things to play with(not to many treats though) my chickens especially like leaves and jumping to grab things so I grab a fern and strip away some of the lower leaves so they won't peck near my hands. Then I dangle it a few inches above their heads(just enough so they have to jump for it) they go crazy for it! However this method does have its downsides in that it may make your chicken see you as a food source and become aggressive with you if you're near them and don't give them food.
Method three:
Talk to them! Cluck and bock and imitate them so they see you as a fellow chicken and an authority figure. It may sound weird but it works! It's also funny to see their reactions if they're just chilling and being leisurely and you bock or cluck loudly at them.
Finally use a combination of these methods, love your chickens like family members and doing all of these things has changed my chicken's attitudes towards me greatly. But you should remember that these are not foolproof plans because it all matters on the chicken itself.
