Chick Behavior and Taming

[celtic_dragon]

Hi,

Last Saturday I acquired three 2.5-week old silkie chicks. This is my first time keeping chickens and I wanted chickens that would be friendly and enjoy spending time with me. From my research it seems that silkies are known for their affectionate nature, which is why I chose that breed.

I know I haven't even had them for a week yet so I may just be worrying prematurely, but I feel like I'm having trouble with taming them and I wanted to see what others thought. Does it just take more time?

I have been spending lots of time with them several times a day. I have them in a dog crate, so I am able to approach them from the side instead of the top. I'll sit there and talk to them and offer food in my hand.

They will eat out of my hand readily as long as I stay perfectly still. If I insert my hand into the cage and stay still it doesn't bother them but if I try to move at all, they all jump. I'm having trouble getting them to allow me to pet them or pick them up. Specifically, there's one that is paranoid of everything. If I make any little movement s/he freaks out and that scares the others. There's one that always approaches first whenever something new happens but if I make any movements "big bro" flaps and runs away and everyone else does too.

I've found that they are really into oats and so I tried to offer those as a treat to entice them to follow my hand around. They will follow the treats right to the edge of the cage if I move slowly but I haven't been able to get any of them to hop out onto my lap to follow them, it's like there's an invisible wall there.

I've tried picking them up a few times to handle them. I always have to chase and catch them though, which seems like maybe it would be more stressful, so I'm not sure I should be doing that. I'm just afraid to miss some sort of window where if they pass a certain age it's too late for me to get them used to handling. One of them calms down very quickly if I pick her up and cup her in my hands, but the other two make distressed noises until they are able to go back into the cage.

It seems like they are getting more skittish with time as opposed to getting more used to me (I know I only have a sample size of 4 days, so maybe I'm just being paranoid). The day I got them I was able to handle them to show them the water dish, and on Day 2 I was able to clean one up from pasty butt, and one of them snuggled next to my hand in the cage and fell asleep. Now I don't think I would be able to do any of those things. Yesterday they discovered they have wings and have been jumping up and down and flapping a lot, but they won't jump on my hand or anything.

Any advice from the pros would be appreciated!

 

[Erin80]

I am far from a pro, but I do have silkie experience!! My three silkies were SUPER skittish as babies. If we even walked into the room, they’d run for cover. I thought the same thing as you.....this is supposed to be a friendly breed! What is going on?!?!
They are now a year old and they are your typical silkies....super affectionate and loving and social. Around the time they started to lay, they really calmed down. My white silkie is so sweet, she always wants to be held and fussed over. My black silkie will tolerate it but prefers just a back scratch without being picked up. Our third was a rooster, he was hilarious but we rehomed him.
Even though they’re silkies, they are individuals.....so some may be more affectionate than others. It’s hard to wait, but believe me, they will calm down as they get older.

 

[rkapfen]

Some chickens, even if the breed is known to be docile, just come from a batch that is different. I hope thats not the case here! Try an feed them tons of treats in your palm and peck at it with your finger and say "chirp chirp" like you were a mama hen. I have trained my 5 day old chicks to come running to me when I do this to see what I am pecking at. I have also read that when chicks start heading into their "teenage" stage they can get grumpy and may not be as affectionate, like humans, but go back to being lovable when they get out of that stage, so maybe something like that is going on to. I would definitely agree dont chase them around to hold them, that might make them more scared of you.

 

[celtic_dragon]

I am far from a pro, but I do have silkie experience!! My three silkies were SUPER skittish as babies. If we even walked into the room, they’d run for cover. I thought the same thing as you.....this is supposed to be a friendly breed! What is going on?!?!

Thanks, this is reassuring! I'll keep feeding them from my hand regularly and hopefully they will warm up to me further in time.

 

[Life is Good!]

Consider how large you are vs. how small they are...of course they're skitterish, they're prey and they know it! They do 'mature' and get to know you. Especially if you wear the same pair of boots or same coat every time you are with them. It's pretty easy in the coop/run, as I only have 1 pair of 'chicken boots'...so they know my boots. I replaced my boots last year and they surely noticed it immediately! Same with my spring/summer/fall vs. winter coat - it takes them a few days to remember it's really me, their owner!

As for helping them to become tame to you - try live mealworms as a treat. (Yes they wriggle in your fingers, but the chicks really do adore these things). You can either grow your own, or purchase from local pet-shops. There's a great thread on these boards on raising mealworms...check there on how to. But mealworms should be a super special treat - and if you are purchasing, think of it as chocolate cake. Lovely to eat, but not daily!

 

[celtic_dragon]

Just wanted to say that only 2 weeks later and they are SO much friendlier now - and growing so fast! Even the one that was most paranoid suddenly decided he liked to sit on my knee and let me pick him up. They go absolutely CRAZY over their treats.

Has anyone ever gotten chickens to run in an exercise wheel? I've seen some videos on Youtube. I have gotten them to jump in and out of a large wheel with regularity, but not to actually run in it.

 

[obicat]

I got mine as week olds and handled them loads. I just ignored any hysterics. I used to go in and sit on the floor and sprinkle food on and around me and they soon got used to jumping all pver me. They are now 12 weeks ish and outside. They went skitty again when they first went out but have quickly remembered I bring treats and now I get mobbed again!

I got 2 adults about 3 weeks ago. Both very skitty and terrified of me. They both now eat out of my hand and it wont be long before they are comfortable being picked up and petted so dont panic yet!