Building Trust

[MGH]

Hello! First time chicken keeper!

I have 5 chicks about 6 weeks old. I started taking them to their outside enclosure every day about a week ago. 2 of them are behind on feathers, but they're close to being full time outdoors.

My problem is I have one skiddish chick.

Two are very confident, take food from my hand, greet me in the mornings when I approach, and tolerate being carried.

Two are inflenceable, seem OK, but take cues from the skiddish chick.

The skiddish chick screams bloody murder when picked up, cries very loudly when alone - and will not navigate between coop and run to find its flock, just screams - and is resistant to take food or treats from hand. Even if the other 4 are eating from my hand this one just says nope.

I agree that there are different personalities and I dont expect all of them to love me, but how do I build some trust with this one?

I interact with them multiple times a day.
I hand feed treats and wet mash multiple times a day.
I sit in the run with them, not pestering them, and talk to them.
I allow them to walk on me and move slowly around them to try to keep them all calm.

Anything else I can add to this? Hoping in a few weeks it will improve!

 

[BarnyardChaos]

My first thought: Is it blind? Or almost?

 

[Shadrach]

Hello! First time chicken keeper!

I have 5 chicks about 6 weeks old. I started taking them to their outside enclosure every day about a week ago. 2 of them are behind on feathers, but they're close to being full time outdoors.

My problem is I have one skiddish chick.

Two are very confident, take food from my hand, greet me in the mornings when I approach, and tolerate being carried.

Two are inflenceable, seem OK, but take cues from the skiddish chick.

The skiddish chick screams bloody murder when picked up, cries very loudly when alone - and will not navigate between coop and run to find its flock, just screams - and is resistant to take food or treats from hand. Even if the other 4 are eating from my hand this one just says nope.

I agree that there are different personalities and I dont expect all of them to love me, but how do I build some trust with this one?

I interact with them multiple times a day.
I hand feed treats and wet mash multiple times a day.
I sit in the run with them, not pestering them, and talk to them.
I allow them to walk on me and move slowly around them to try to keep them all calm.

Anything else I can add to this? Hoping in a few weeks it will improve!

Time and patience. I can't read anything that you are doing wrong so it seems you've got one more highly strung than the rest. I think this is quite common.
I look after a group with a Legbar/Marans cross and she is convinced I'm out to murder her.

As luck would have it, she roosts on an outside perch with her rooster and a few of his favourite hens. This makes her accessible while she's roosting. I often do health checks while chickens are roosting at dusk. They are in general more settled and less likely to charge off into the yonder screaming blue murder should one have the audacity to touch them.
I've been giving miss hysterical a few strokes as I check the others and slowly she is becoming more relaxed about being touched to the extent that I can now check her crop and her rear end while she roosts.
So, try that. Talk and gently touch the chick when she/he is roosting and see how that goes.

 

[MGH]

My first thought: Is it blind? Or almost?

I dont think so. It definitely reacts to me, just negatively. The eyes themselves are not damaged, no cloudiness, and look just as good as the eyes on the other chicks.

 

[Shadrach]

My first thought: Is it blind? Or almost?

Good point and well worth checking.

 

[MGH]

Time and patience. I can't read anything that you are doing wrong so it seems you've got one more highly strung than the rest. I think this is quite common.
I look after a group with a Legbar/Marans cross and she is convinced I'm out to murder her.

As luck would have it, she roosts on an outside perch with her rooster and a few of his favourite hens. This makes her accessible while she's roosting. I often do health checks while chickens are roosting at dusk. They are in general more settled and less likely to charge off into the yonder screaming blue murder should one have the audacity to touch them.
I've been giving miss hysterical a few strokes as I check the others and slowly she is becoming more relaxed about being touched to the extent that I can now check her crop and her rear end while she roosts.
So, try that. Talk and gently touch the chick when she/he is roosting and see how that goes.

So frustrating and annoying lol!

Maybe once the daily treks to and from their enclosure stop, the chick will feel more settled. I just don't want to mentally scar them.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Some birds are just skittish or flighty or nervous. When dealing with Nervous Nellies I'm satisfied if they get to the point where they're no longer screaming and trying to escape any time I walk by.

 

[Mrs. K]

I have leghorns for the first time. I read that they were skittish, but WOW are they skittish.

Personally, you might try not touching her. Spend time with them, pet the others, but let her be until she approaches you.