12 Days Old - Listing of friendliest to most psycho, listed here in order....

[RaeRae2]

My brood of hatchery chicks are now 12 days old. I just wanted to share what I have noticed about their behavior so far.

Of all of them, the Easter Eggers are the ones who come right over to me instantly and try to climb up in my hand, and peck at my fingers. They do not seem afraid of me at all. One of them likes to climb up in my hand and go to sleep! They are thre biggest and fluffiest of the chicks, they are the slowest and most "mature" acting. They just don't seem scared or flightly about anything at all.

Then the Anconas are the next friendliest. They are very happy, curious chicks, and they like it if I pet them, and rub their heads. They are not very flightly, but are a little more active than the EEs.

The Silver Spangled Hamburghs are relatively friendly and calm. They seem curious, happy, and carefree. They are constantly busy busy busy but they don't have a care in the world about my hand in the brooder, or me picking them up.

Then the Black Australorps are somewhat friendly. It takes them a bit to warm up but they eventually start coming up to my hand and checking me out. They still try to run if I try to pick them up though.

The Golden Laced Wyandotte is very skittish and I have to chase her down if I want to touch her, but at least she's quiet and doesn't shriek when I pet her.

The Brahmas, Dark Cornish, Rhode Island Reds, and whatever my 2 mystery chicks are, are all psycho. The Cornish especially will scream bloody murder if I try to pick them up. I think the mystery chicks are are Golden Hamburg, and a Black Langshan, or a Cuckoo Marans. Not entirely sture though.

I am absolutely LOVING the EEs. The instant my hand goes in, they are climbing all over it, pecking my fingers, snuggling their heads into my palm. I absolutely LOVE them. And the Anconas and Silver Hamburgs too are wonderful. The rest I really hope settle down as they age!

 

[bigchiefhoho]

That's interesting, I've had a different experience with my EEs. They're by far the smallest and least-developed of my little flock (EEs, cornish rocks, red sex-links), and pretty skittish. What hatchery are yours from?

Out of my bunch, the reds are the most outgoing and curious, then the EEs are pretty jumpy, and the cornish rocks are downright neurotic. Of course, mine are only 3-4 days old, so who knows how it'll change by the time they're the same age as yours!

 

[RaeRae2]

Wow that is very intersting. Thanks for sharing! Mine came from McMurray. The minute we opened the box, my husband and I both went WHOA! Some of the chicks were clearly huge. We joked and called them Yhettis.

At first glance I assumed those were the Brahmas. But the Brahmas actually were a lot smaller and much flightier. The EEs are huge and have very poofy cheeks. They also are feathering out much quicker than the others.

 

[mommabice]

Hmm...I don't know what I am doing wrong, but NONE of my chicks like to be picked up and are only just starting to not freak out when I put my hand in. One of the EEs will come up to my hand, but they certainly don't jump in it. That same EE is the bully of the flock (we have 8 - 4 EEs, 2 Black Australorpes, 2 Barred Rocks). I was worried it was a roo, since it "watches" me when I come close and seems protective, but then it is a big bully with the other chicks, which seems like pecking order to me.

The EEs are WAY bigger than the others, and are getting feathers faster as well. The Barred Rocks are getting more feathers than the Black Austra's. They are all 16 days old. They are from Myers. Honestly, I think they are all psycho, but they seem to be getting more friendly the older they get, so maybe they will end up docile...who knows?

 

[Apyl]

My Easter Egger is the same way. She is the biggest and most mature. She has been perching on top of the feeder and waterer and the other dont even try to get that high. She also comes to us and jumps in our hands and will jump up on the ledge of the cage door when we open it.

 

[tyjaco]

my EE's are a little scared, but they love to fly! When I take the top off of the brooder, they are the first to fly up to sit on the edge. If I pick them up, tho - they will scream bloody murder! So wil the RIRs. Poor things - so scared.
The most friendly of this bunch has to be the one black sex-link, Amelia. She is a cuddler. I've never had a chick cuddle down into my hand before. Then the BarredRocks are also very friendly. They like to be held - as long as they can still see they others, they're fine....

 

[pudellvr]

My 12 day old chicks are a riot. I have 5 production reds from TSC and 2 EE. my EE are the most skittish. One is very "Derpy". (check out derperella's thread) my 5 PR's are. Very curious and are the first to cautiously ck out my hand. I was successful in hand feeding them tonight. I made their favorite wet mash and dumped a pile in my hand. They even climbed up into it. It was fun.

 

[blueferral]

I got my EE from McMurray as well. However, mine run to the back of the brooder when ever anyone comes near. We interact with them frequently. Maybe shouldn't stop to see em so much. Stressing the little ladies out.

 

[aschrimp]

My EEs are rabble rousers. They are 1/3 bigger than all the other chicks, with these huge wings, and as soon as I reach into the brooder box they flip out, and panic all the other chicks, too. They are also always flying up onto the top of the water bucket, them and one barred rock (who is actually a sweetie). It was a nice day out today, so they all spent some time in an outdoor cage on the lawn. The EEs tried to launch out of the box that I carried them outside in.

 

[debid]

I only had one chick that welcomed being picked up; my Dominique would sit on my shoulder and preen my hair. BUT, once they hit laying age, the whole flock became more approachable. They still aren't lap chickens but they get under my feet when they think I might have something for them and none are standoffish anymore.

One of my EEs was completely nuts as a chick. She'd run from the hand, she would scream bloody murder when picked up. She was almost impossible to catch and there were many comical scenes involving chasing her when I'd let the chicks have outside time. I once had to send my kids crawling under the deck to get her out. While I was working with them as juveniles to get them trained to return to their run on demand, she jumped straight up onto the coop roof (6')

She is now the easiest chicken to catch because she squats whenever I come close.

So, don't despair. Everything will change when they mature so as long as you keep working with them, they'll come around.

Hmm...I don't know what I am doing wrong, but NONE of my chicks like to be picked up and are only just starting to not freak out when I put my hand in. One of the EEs will come up to my hand, but they certainly don't jump in it. That same EE is the bully of the flock (we have 8 - 4 EEs, 2 Black Australorpes, 2 Barred Rocks). I was worried it was a roo, since it "watches" me when I come close and seems protective, but then it is a big bully with the other chicks, which seems like pecking order to me.

The EEs are WAY bigger than the others, and are getting feathers faster as well. The Barred Rocks are getting more feathers than the Black Austra's. They are all 16 days old. They are from Myers. Honestly, I think they are all psycho, but they seem to be getting more friendly the older they get, so maybe they will end up docile...who knows?