Baby chicks

[joshisamazing]

this is the white chicken that always seems to stay away from me. Like he thinks I'm gonna hurt him. D: he looks like a rooster. There at 2 weeks old right now!

 

[joshisamazing]

Do you think this chicken can still be a hen at 2 weeks old with this big of a comb? I see some hens that have pretty big combs before?

 

[Theofire88]

Chickens vary in temperament just as humans do. And some of them like to be just chickens. Some breeds can be better than others. Typically the bantam breeds are more personable in particular Cochins. Buckeyes are extremely friendly as well. So are Favorelles.

Positive handling can help with any chick, ie give treats whenever you intend to handle them. That will condition them that your presence means happy things. Never chase after the bird to pick it up. Instead, put the treat at the bottom of your palm and let the bird run into your palm to eat the treat. Do not attempt to pet or hold the bird at first; just let the bird eat the treat. Be patient, and calm, and soon they will run to you when they see you and will lose fear of your hands. Many in time will allow you to pet and hold them this way. Keep these sessions brief so that the bird is never made anxious.

Be careful not to treat too much as growing chicks need to fill up on their chick feed not snacks, just like any growing youngster.

Good treats can be chopped boiled eggs or a little chicken scratch that is small in size (millet is a special favorite of my flock).

Give them time to warm up to you knowing that not all chickens will want to be lap pets, but you can enjoy their eager little beaks running to great you, and they can become tame enough to handle when needed.

Lady of McCamley

X2

If the behaviour persists once he is big enough to actually injure someone, you can do a variety of things to gain respect. (This is assuming he is aggressive towards you or people, I may have read your post wrong/there may have been a grammar/spelling issue... Darn spellcheck ;p) what you can do can vary from getting aggressive right back at him and "frightening him" to getting a hold of him (this one has worked for some people with Roos I know) and gently, but firmly taking his comb and bowing his head, once his head remained bowed (you may have to repeat) then he is free to go, you may have to do this multiple times before he really and truly respects you. My rule is always to NEVER be afraid of your birds, despite their size, they can inflict damage and keeping chickens should be fun, not a terrifying experience ;p

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Yeah, that looks suspiciously rooster-ish...at 2 weeks you say? That's a lot of comb. If it is a White Leghorn, and stalls in development, it *might* turn out to be a hen, as even the Leghorn pullets develop larger combs as youngsters but don't turn really red or get really big like their male counter-parts....but I think you should plan this will likely be a roo.

As to how to get it to like you, remain slow and steady. You've already got 1 that will jump into your hand for treats. Good start. The next one is getting less afraid. Making progress. The white one, if Leghorn, is a more high strung and flighty kind of breed, so it will take longer for it to warm up. Just keep putting your hand down flat with yummy but safe chicken treats...as the others really warm up to the idea, this one will sooner or later see them getting all the yummy treat and want some too.

You'll know that chickens "like" you because they will follow you and not be afraid. As you work with them, their curiosity takes over and they begin to interact more and more with you. If you frighten them by moving too quickly or asking them to do something they are afriad of, you take a step back in trust and have to rebuild again.

Some will simply be more personable than others. Some are always flighty and stay more on the fringe. With time and patience, you can generally get those to at least come in closer and take a treat or two from your hand before retreating. They will get to the point where they will run to you...but stop several steps away. You may have to be okay with that. Just keep building the trust.

Food treats are your best friend...the kind that they really like. My birds LOVE popped popcorn (no salt as that can hurt them). They also LOVE millet from wild bird seed. They also LOVE black oil sunflower seeds. Many people buy the dried mealworms, but I find those a bit spendy for regular treating. Find what treat they gobble up and look to your for more, more, more that is still safe and healthy for them to eat as you don't want to make them sick. Never feed candy or such even if they will eat it.

Animals live on their stomachs, so food reward treats with a gentle hand go a long way in making them happy and comfortable around you...then providing things THEY like to do. Place their treats so they have to scratch in dirt. They'll scratch and look up to you for more. Let them play a little "chicken football" by tossing out a yummy treat like a strawberry...one will pick it up and run away while the others give chase. This gives them some healthy exercise. Keep their coop area clean and filled with warm straw or bedding. Food bowl feeder for self feeding and water always clean and fresh. They'll feel safe and cared for. That all leads to happy animals who will see you as a friend an protector. Then the special one will be curious enough to want to interact more. Reward that with food treats and you'll be surprised and what you can do with them.
LofMc

 

[Theofire88]

this is the white chicken that always seems to stay away from me. Like he thinks I'm gonna hurt him. D: he looks like a rooster. There at 2 weeks old right now!

It appears I did misread D: (lol) if they are frightened of you, take some time to do this excersize.

Put your hand in their brooder/area, they will run away from you, but keep you hand in there, eventually they will come to investigate and begin to play around your hands and on them, you may have to repeat this, eventually you must begin to slowly accustom them to being help and picked up, it will all come with time, but you must be prepared to take it in order to truly have your chicks be fine around you! Chickens are very flighty and 'fragile' critters

 

[Lady of McCamley]

X2

If the behaviour persists once he is big enough to actually injure someone, you can do a variety of things to gain respect. (This is assuming he is aggressive towards you or people, I may have read your post wrong/there may have been a grammar/spelling issue... Darn spellcheck ;p) what you can do can vary from getting aggressive right back at him and "frightening him" to getting a hold of him (this one has worked for some people with Roos I know) and gently, but firmly taking his comb and bowing his head, once his head remained bowed (you may have to repeat) then he is free to go, you may have to do this multiple times before he really and truly respects you. My rule is always to NEVER be afraid of your birds, despite their size, they can inflict damage and keeping chickens should be fun, not a terrifying experience ;p

The above is good advice for when you have an older rooster that is being aggressive. Right now your little possible roo is 2 weeks old, so no need to have a heavy hand with him at this point.

But this does bring up an important issue you will have to consider. Most roosters do not make good pets, which is what you really are wanting from your chickens, and that's okay if that's what you want them for. But you may need to consider what you will do if the white one does turn out to be a rooster, and not the friendly pet kind of rooster.

It takes some very wise handling to keep a rooster from being overly aggressive, and sometimes you have to help him realize that YOU are top rooster, not him. Trying to make a lap pet and coddling a self-assertive kind of rooster can be a recipe for disaster as he will view it as your agreement he is TOP roo. NEVER let the bird get away with attacking you. With little chicks simply putting your hand up to deflect is enough to discourage, and most times the chicks don't view you as something to tussle with. I have had roosters challenge me around 10 weeks of age, one when I was trying to open the coop door and let them out. He challenged me and I held him, pinning him to me until he settled down and respected me. But it is a warning that particular bird wants to rule the farmyard not live in the lap of luxury as a pet. I also watched that roo as he grew and recognized he wanted to be king of the hill, so he found a farm that was big enough to run around in as my small backyard flock did not need an aggressive kind of roo.

On the other hand any animal if cornered and panicked may feel they need to attack. NEVER frighten them so that they are afraid enough that they are forced to attack you because they fear for their life. Knowing when to be assertive and how to discipline takes some mature understanding of chickens and careful handling of the birds...which may be more than you want to attempt at this stage. You may wish to keep only laid back, friendly type hens and not deal with the aggressive hormones of a rooster. And that type will most likely be happy on Farmer Jones farm free ranging and looking out for hawks to keep his flock safe.

LofMc

 

[Theofire88]

The above is good advice for when you have an older rooster that is being aggressive. Right now your little possible roo is 2 weeks old, so no need to have a heavy hand with him at this point.

But this does bring up an important issue you will have to consider. Most roosters do not make good pets, which is what you really are wanting from your chickens, and that's okay if that's what you want them for. But you may need to consider what you will do if the white one does turn out to be a rooster, and not the friendly pet kind of rooster.

It takes some very wise handling to keep a rooster from being overly aggressive, and sometimes you have to help him realize that YOU are top rooster, not him. Trying to make a lap pet and coddling a self-assertive kind of rooster can be a recipe for disaster as he will view it as your agreement he is TOP roo. NEVER let the bird get away with attacking you. With little chicks simply putting your hand up to deflect is enough to discourage, and most times the chicks don't view you as something to tussle with. I have had roosters challenge me around 10 weeks of age, one when I was trying to open the coop door and let them out. He challenged me and I held him, pinning him to me until he settled down and respected me. But it is a warning that particular bird wants to rule the farmyard not live in the lap of luxury as a pet. I also watched that roo as he grew and recognized he wanted to be king of the hill, so he found a farm that was big enough to run around in as my small backyard flock did not need an aggressive kind of roo.

On the other hand any animal if cornered and panicked may feel they need to attack. NEVER frighten them so that they are afraid enough that they are forced to attack you because they fear for their life. Knowing when to be assertive and how to discipline takes some mature understanding of chickens and careful handling of the birds...which may be more than you want to attempt at this stage. You may wish to keep only laid back, friendly type hens and not deal with the aggressive hormones of a rooster. And that type will most likely be happy on Farmer Jones farm free ranging and looking out for hawks to keep his flock safe.

LofMc

Agreed. I did not mean corner the roo or frighten the chicks older, aggressive Roos... Haha. Although I agree, having a roo when you want cuddle-buddies may not be the best idea, hens are generally the more cuddly type

 

[joshisamazing]

I just wanna say first thank you all for all your advice it definitely means a lot to me! I can't tell you how much. how happy I am for this website! so I can get chicken owners experiences and opinions. I think I have a lot to think about. Like I said idk if he is for sure a rooster. And yeah I have seen a few nice rooster but like you said most are mean and wanna be king of the hill. if he is mean and stuff I'll prob try and give him away it kill him sadly. Cause I love my chickens. And I wanna be able to pick them up and stuff and not have to worry about my rooster spurring me or challenging me. i hope he is not a rooster. if they he is aggressive when will I know? Like 3 months of age will I be able to tell if he's a rooster and if he's gonna be mean like the others? I wanna give him a Chance! Cause like I said I've seen nice rooster before? I just need to know what age he will start to act aggressive if he is?

 

[Theofire88]

I just wanna say first thank you all for all your advice it definitely means a lot to me! I can't tell you how much. how happy I am for this website! so I can get chicken owners experiences and opinions. I think I have a lot to think about. Like I said idk if he is for sure a rooster. And yeah I have seen a few nice rooster but like you said most are mean and wanna be king of the hill. if he is mean and stuff I'll prob try and give him away it kill him sadly. Cause I love my chickens. And I wanna be able to pick them up and stuff and not have to worry about my rooster spurring me or challenging me. i hope he is not a rooster. if they he is aggressive when will I know? Like 3 months of age will I be able to tell if he's a rooster and if he's gonna be mean like the others? I wanna give him a Chance! Cause like I said I've seen nice rooster before? I just need to know what age he will start to act aggressive if he is?

I am not sure about when aggression may begin, I am strictly hens only XD, just watch his behaviour, does he tussle with the other chicks, crow etc, and watch his feathering for the tail, hens should get a fluffier, wider butt while he gets his big tail feathers. Also, if it is a he, his comb and wattles will become bigger and redder sooner than your hens!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I just wanna say first thank you all for all your advice it definitely means a lot to me! I can't tell you how much. how happy I am for this website! so I can get chicken owners experiences and opinions. I think I have a lot to think about. Like I said idk if he is for sure a rooster. And yeah I have seen a few nice rooster but like you said most are mean and wanna be king of the hill. if he is mean and stuff I'll prob try and give him away it kill him sadly. Cause I love my chickens. And I wanna be able to pick them up and stuff and not have to worry about my rooster spurring me or challenging me. i hope he is not a rooster. if they he is aggressive when will I know? Like 3 months of age will I be able to tell if he's a rooster and if he's gonna be mean like the others? I wanna give him a Chance! Cause like I said I've seen nice rooster before? I just need to know what age he will start to act aggressive if he is?

So how do you know when it's a rooster and if it's a nice rooster?

Breeds vary a lot as to when you know you have a rooster. It is usually best to watch siblings grow up of the same breed, but so many of us purchase different breeds as chicks, so you can't really compare one to the other then. Overall, the comb development is the best indicator for *most* breeds. Some breeds like Leghorns and Barred Rocks can fool you as the girls can get rather worrisome combs earlier as compared to other breeds, but still they are not as developed compared with their male counterparts. Roo's also tend to feather in slower, get bigger, are lankier as chicks, and overall like to rough house more. They often are perceived as the most friendly chick as it is the one that runs up first for food or to see what the owner has brought. This stems more from male fearlessness than actual friendliness in many roosters, although some have a sweet nature from chick to old age.

The next thing to watch is for the hackle feathers, tail feathers, and saddle to develop. How long that takes varies greatly among the breeds and even among individuals. Usually you have a pretty good idea by 10 to 12 weeks of age from the developing sex feathers. Almost certain by 4 to 5 months. Some breeds, like Orpingtons or Silkies, you may have to wait until it crows or lays an egg. Crowing is something to consider as well. Do you live in a neighborhood that allows roosters? Will your neighbors mind a loud rooster?

Determining the wrong rooster for you varies as each person has different needs and conditions.You want pets, so most likely a rooster is not going to be a good choice. It may not be worth your effort to try to work with a rooster until 6 months of age only to have the heartache to admit defeat. Be prepared that most roosters belong on farms, unless it is a breed known for having very, very mellow boys. Your white bird is probably a White Leghorn or White Rock. Those are not breeds known for having laid back boys. It could happen, but it is not the majority. A little puppy play is to be expected, but if you see your rooster constantly butting the others, running over them for food, bullying them, running up to you demanding treats or challenging your presence, those would be signs of a rooster who needs to be handled wisely and needs a job on a farm.

LofMc