Bunch of scared girls

[JerryO]

Last week we got our shipment from My Pet Chicken, 12 Red Stars and 13 Leghorns, all girls. They will not settle down at all. If my wife or I just try to change their water they run around peeping and trying to get away from us. Our first batch of chicks, which are now about a month old(5 Buff Orpingtons and 15 Cornish Rocks both boys and girls) were never like this. Is it just the breeds or is there something wrong?:|

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Leghorns are like that and they will most likely always be like that. That's why I don't like leghorns. The redstars are usually pretty calm but I bet the leghorns get them nervous when they run and squawk. Good luck!

 

[robinaggie]

One nervous chick can make all of the others skittish. Maybe you should separate the leghorns from the red stars.

 

[JerryO]

OK, my wife and I separated the red stars and the leghorns, the red stars almost immediately calmed down, went to sleep, or started playing. The leghorns were still freaking out if we were breathing near them! Oh well, it's a learning process....as soon as the chics get me trained I'll be OK!!

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

OH good I'm glad they started to settle. My red star is one of my sweetest birds! She just wants attention 24/7 and will sit on my lap, head, wherever I can get at her lol Good luck with those leghorns!

If I were you I would swap them out for somemore sex links...they are all prolific layers too and SO nice.

 

[JennsPeeps]

I read a little about breed temperaments before committing to my 3 girls and am glad I did. Even though leghorns are prolific layers, they are skittish as a breed and I wanted super tame, relaxed chickens. Of my 3 (RIR, Barred Rock, Black star) the RIR is the most skittish. The other two are very chill. I'm not sure if it's the RIR's particular personality or if it's a breed thing.

 

[robinaggie]

I think it's a little of both. I got two BRs, and one is calm and friendly, but the other is psycho! Psycho-chick screams if I touch normal-chick, which makes normal-chick run away from me. I keep trying, and psycho-chick is learning where she gets her mealworms, so is getting a little better. They're six weeks old now.

 

[Eggseronious]

Leghorns are flighty however they will calm down some and a few will not. Start hand feeding them,

this will show them that you are wanting to be their friend.