Baby chicks hate me

[newchickshelp13]

I am very new at the whole baby chick thing and i have questions. My three red ranger chicks run away from me every time i try to hold them, they have now taught my barred rock chick that she should also run away. Is there any good way to get them to like me?

 

[CassieDelash]

Hand feeding may help. I would maybe put them in a smaller enclosure so they can't get away and then start hand feeding. How old are they?

 

[sunflour]

They don't hate you, it is just their nature to mistrust and fear for survival.

Treats - hand held to get them to come to you. Spend time around them and they will learn to trust and love you.

Mine have never liked being picked up, but tolerate it Each is an individual personality - some enjoy being picked up and others don't.

 

[Dmontgomery]

We have 20 2 month old chicks that we raised on the back porch. I hand fed them treats everyday. Mostly pieces of bread. Now they are in the coop and will fly up on my shoulder when I am in there or sit in my lap if I bring a stool to sit on. But they do not really like me to pick them up. Apparently contact is on their terms only.
We have another 14, same age, that were brooded by my brother in law. He fed them and kept them alive but did not handle them. They are not as loving. They will let me hand feed them, but when I pick them up they scream like they are headed to the chopping block.
It's all in how you raise them plus their personalities. If yours are still young, hand feed them treats as much as possible and they will learn to be less scared of you. Always move slowly around them so they don't see you as a danger.

 

[newchickshelp13]

Hand feeding may help. I would maybe put them in a smaller enclosure so they can't get away and then start hand feeding. How old are they?

they are 3 weeks old and the barred rock is like a week younger than the red rangers

 

[newchickshelp13]

We have 20 2 month old chicks that we raised on the back porch. I hand fed them treats everyday. Mostly pieces of bread. Now they are in the coop and will fly up on my shoulder when I am in there or sit in my lap if I bring a stool to sit on. But they do not really like me to pick them up. Apparently contact is on their terms only.
We have another 14, same age, that were brooded by my brother in law. He fed them and kept them alive but did not handle them. They are not as loving. They will let me hand feed them, but when I pick them up they scream like they are headed to the chopping block.
It's all in how you raise them plus their personalities. If yours are still young, hand feed them treats as much as possible and they will learn to be less scared of you. Always move slowly around them so they don't see you as a danger.

thanks. And if i do give them treats, do i have to give them grit?

 

[Pork Pie]

Yep, you do. Here's a link that should give you some background to the purpose and use of grit.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/891051/the-science-of-feeding-grit-to-poultry

CT

 

[Speak2Erin]

Chicks never liked being handled for us, except for the silkies. But once they (EEs and welsummers) went into their coop and I'd hand feed them treats, they'd jump on my lap. And now the sweeter ones let us pick them up and carry them around.

 

[azygous]

Most of the time when new chick parents lament their chicks are afraid of them or don't like to be held it's because of the way you are handling them.

If your brooder is the type with high sides that sits on the floor, and you are reaching down into the box from above the chicks, it seems to the chicks that you are a predator diving at them from above, and their instinct is to run away screeching.

If you could re-make your brooder into one that sits at table level and enables you to access the chicks from the side (cardboard boxes are great for this) you will see immediate results in the way your chicks relate to you.

If you can't do anything to change your brooder, then slipping your hand down slowly into the brooder and then moving your hand horizontally toward the chicks feet, allowing the chick to step onto your hand, will help tremendously.

Your chicks are close to being old enough to move into the coop and run. This will also change the way they view you since they will be able to see all of you when you approach. This will improve the way they relate to you.

 

[newchickshelp13]

Most of the time when new chick parents lament their chicks are afraid of them or don't like to be held it's because of the way you are handling them.

If your brooder is the type with high sides that sits on the floor, and you are reaching down into the box from above the chicks, it seems to the chicks that you are a predator diving at them from above, and their instinct is to run away screeching.

If you could re-make your brooder into one that sits at table level and enables you to access the chicks from the side (cardboard boxes are great for this) you will see immediate results in the way your chicks relate to you.

If you can't do anything to change your brooder, then slipping your hand down slowly into the brooder and then moving your hand horizontally toward the chicks feet, allowing the chick to step onto your hand, will help tremendously.

Your chicks are close to being old enough to move into the coop and run. This will also change the way they view you since they will be able to see all of you when you approach. This will improve the way they relate to you.

thanks and i have my chicks in a little dollar store swimming pool for toddlers i can set in the pool as the chicks play around me. But when i put my hand down to touch/pick them up, they flap there little wings anx scream