Are chicks skittish and get calmer later?

[humpbacks1962]

I've bought chicks from a hatchery and from a breeder. I noticed a big difference. The ones that were handled in the hatchery arrived neurotic! Those that were with mama after hatching and were not thrown in boxes everywhere were far calmer.

Their instinct tells them at this age that if something grabs them, it is going to eat them. I have one pullet who is extremelly skiddish. But they all come to me when I squat and pull weeds for them to pick bugs. I gently pet them, they'll stay there for me. They do not enjoy being picked off the ground though. Again, is that survival instinct kicking in. I can grab them but if I keep them on the ground as I pet them, they're fine with it.

When the girls start laying you won't have to chase them. They squat when you approach them, and freeze. You can pick them up and they'll be fine with it.

 

[Allygirl]

I raised 2 peeps (yes that is all that hatched) by hand both turned out to be roosters ,and neither one got aggressive! I sold the one but I kept the tamer one and he is the sweetest roo EVER

 

[larsonll]

Thanks everyone. My 10 chicks (2 Welsummers, 2 Marans, 1 Gamefowl, 5 EEs) are 2 weeks old today and watch me and listen to me when I am talking to them...they just scatter and cheep really loudly when I uncover the brooder or try to pick them up. I introduced grit today and a little treat of fresh watermelon later...I'm hoping that I get associated with treats. It's really funny because it takes about 2 hours until someone realizes that a treat is a treat. I guess that will get better too.

 

[navasima]

Hi! I've been a "flock leader" for 3 whole weeks now!

Our chicks have been handled at least twice a day by myself and my 2 year old (yes- ALWAYS supervised)since we got them at 6 days old. Though they all get equal time and the same type of handling, the response runs the gamut. The friendliest is my Plymouth Rock - she comes running to the door when she sees us. The buff Cochin bantum ( named Stir Fry! - isn't for food, just the loudest chick ever

) seems sure that it's going to be done in if touched. The other 3 - 4 week olds are somewhere in between. The 2 - 8 week old silkies that we got on Sat. are already settling down once they are on a lap and will sit and get petted until put down. Shoot - they're getting sweeter by the hour. My guess...some nature...some nurture....I believe that if you project constant, quiet confidence it will work out more often that not. JMHO

 

[esther5]

we have 3 chicks that are handled daily, just over 3 weeks now. they are definitely more flighty than our hens but so cute. our cream legbar is the quietest. we have a very cheeky cuckoo maran and a dominant white leghorn. its fun to see their different characters.......

 

[LizaBlue]

we got plymouth rocks and black australorps as day olds from Cackle Hatchery, and of course I couldn't keep my hands off of them from day one. we gave them craneflies when they were several days old, hand feeding them, and tried to get them accustomed to our presence. their brooder tubs were in our master bath, so they frequently saw us (more of us than anyone ever needs to, lol) and heard us talking in the bedroom, so that helped some, but the main thing my husband taught me was to not reach in and grab them. if you just lowered your hand in, palm up, lay it on the floor a few inches from them, eventually they start climbing on it. the parakeet trick of running your finger parallel to their belly doesn't work at all and just seems to freak them out. our turkeys and guineas never trusted us as chicks, and as adults, always treat us suspiciously or as invaders first before realizing we might have something they want.

all three species are weird about treats, just like a 2yo human: "I don't care if I liked that yesterday, I don't like it today," "I'm not going to eat that if you're going to watch me," "that's not the same color as food so you must be trying to poison me." they will ignore something for hours, then as soon as you get ready to take it away, devour it madly, or go wild about something for days in a row, then suddenly start turning up their nose at it. they use their beaks like hands, picking something up and dropping it over and over a dozen times, giving the appearance of spitting it out in distaste, before deciding that it's the most lucious thing they ever ate and start begging you for more.

as far as some breeds of chickens being different, my husband claims the barred rocks are more friendly, but when I come up the hill with treats, it's always the black australorps who come greet me, but you never know who's gonna jump in the chair with me first!

 

[Help my chicks hate me]

Yes it is.......... they have a high flight/run instinct when they are small. try not messing with them so much when they are so young they mellow out more as they grow and definitely avoid handling and suspected roosters.

Thank you this helped so much. How long would you say it takes for them to start being docile? Mine hate me right now even though I've only held them like, 4 times and usually i just sit in the garage and talk to them but nevertheless, they LOATHE ME ENTIRELY.

 

[saysfaa]

That person was last on this website in 2014. For what it is worth, I have a somewhat different philosophy from taming other species which is working well with my first chickens. Mine is that working with their instincts is better than working against their instincts. I tell which I'm doing by reading their behavior to tell whether to back off, continue, or adjust what I'm doing... or, maybe, how I'm doing something or whether to do something.
Three of the chicks in the picture are brown leghorns. They are tameable also, they just need more care not to set off their flight instincts while they are figuring out I am not dangerous and am worth paying attention to.