Change in Behavior - Less "Loving"

[KnARanch]

Chickies have been in the shoop almost 2 weeks and, yes, I know: they are chickens, not people; they are in a new place and getting settled 🛏; and I'm just a giant food giver

But

When I open the shoop, enter the shoop, enter the run, or approach them, their eyes get *huge* and they can't get away from me fat enough
Even my girl Millie!

Does this change - or it's this the new normal?

Holding Millie - or Poe or Roxy - was so calming & for me and then! Even when Dove & Violetta let me have a few minutes, they were calmer!
*sigh*

Sign me -
~Lookin' for luv in all the wrong places

 

[FunClucks]

Some breeds are more flighty than others. That said, always bring treats. The more you sit with them, and feed treats, the happier they will be to approach you.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Mine have only now stopped regarding me as someone in a hockey mask holding a chain saw. This coincided with their combs turning red and wattles started to grow. They're still not cuddly, but that's fine. Just so I can pick them up if and when needed without mass hysteria breaking out - the ones not being picked up were freaking out at least as much as the one I was attempting to touch.

 

[KnARanch]

Some breeds are more flighty than others. That said, always bring treats. The more you sit with them, and feed treats, the happier they will be to approach you.

Ah treats!
I've tried strawberries, lettuce, mealworms, cracked corn...ideas? They are so over wheat toast.
But I will bring some steel oats in found today!

 

[KnARanch]

Mine have only now stopped regarding me as someone in a hockey mask holding a chain saw. This coincided with their combs turning red and wattles started to grow. They're still not cuddly, but that's fine. Just so I can pick them up if and when needed without mass hysteria breaking out - the ones not being picked up were freaking out at least as much as the one I was attempting to touch.

Yeah, going through that, too. Combs & waddles growing, but last night was a chase fest No one letting me get close enough to move them into the shoop in the pouring rain!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

As chicks mature, just like human teens, they will become more independent and will pull away from you. They start to regard us as predators and don't want to be picked up any more - not in every case, of coruse, but quite often. Try not to take it personally and don't be too sad, this instinct will help keep them safe. People often say it was their favorite chicken that got taken by a predator - why? Because by our handling and snuggling we blunted its fear and flight instincts, so a coyote was able to sneak up on it.

 

[KnARanch]

As chicks mature, just like human teens, they will become more independent and will pull away from you. They start to regard us as predators and don't want to be picked up any more - not in every case, of corse, but quite often. Try not to take it personally and don't be too sad, this instinct will help keep them safe. People often say it was their favorite chicken that got taken by a predator - why? Because by our handling and snuggling we blunted its fear and flight instincts, so a coyote was able to sneak up on it.

*sigh* makes sense

 

[atomic]

Mine go crazy over moist crickets in a can, I call “chick chiiiicks!” They come runnin. That’s how I get them in the coop when I have to leave in the afternoon for work. They also love grapes, and two of the three like blueberries.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I prefer non-cuddly chickens. I say that so you know I am completely biased. I don’t snuggle chickens, I don’t hang out with them other than to observe their behavior and make sure they’re not eating each other or paint chips. Sometimes I feed them mealworms out of my hand if I am trying to train them to come to a call so I can get them back in their run. And all that is to say that when they start laying they start squatting and let me pick them up easily. Some of them are even nice to me when they’re brooding. Because they think I’m their rooster possibly. Either way-just give them time and eventually they will be cool being treated like pets again. If mine will do it then yours certainly will.

 

[FunClucks]

Ah treats!
I've tried strawberries, lettuce, mealworms, cracked corn...ideas? They are so over wheat toast.
But I will bring some steel oats in found today!

Mine like Scratch. It's like candy for them, but great for reinforcement of behavior you want to see.