Chickens ran away when touched?

[tarnte]

Hi, I have 3 10-week-old chickens (BO, RIR and SLW). All female. They would walk over when I called them especially the BO I trained her to remember her name. They would eat treats out of my hand. However, they would not let me touch them especially the BO when I started to pet her in any other ways (side or front belly). She always quickly jerk and walk away. I tried giving them treat and pet simultaneously. The BO would still jerk and walk away. She would still walk over when I called her. The other two would give a squeak sound but do not mind the simultaneous treats and touch action. I also tried sitting down in the run and the RIR and SLW would just jump up on my lap. Not with the BO.

Will this behavior go away when they are near laying eggs? Will more handling of them ceases their nervousness? How can I create the trust with the BO? I always think it is kind of strange the BO wouldn’t mind running to me when I called her but ran away whenever I tried to touch her. Thanks all!

Photo of the BO and SLW

 

[sourland]

Chickens retain the instincts of prey animals and as such many/most do not like being touched/grabbed.

 

[rosemarythyme]

You probably will see their behavior change a little once they hit point of lay, but no guarantees she'll want to be touched or enjoy being touched. Some chickens just don't like being handled, others may actually seek it out.

 

[Chickassan]

Most chickens would rather touch you instead of you.touching them.
Some will enjoy you touching them, those are a little rare.
Yours are 10 weeks old, for the next month or so yours won't like anything lol!
Your girls are going from pre-teen to teen they're impossible during this time.

 

[tarnte]

Most chickens would rather touch you instead of you.touching them.
Some will enjoy you touching them, those are a little rare.
Yours are 10 weeks old, for the next month or so yours won't like anything lol!
Your girls are going from pre-teen to teen they're impossible during this time.

Haha thank you. I can see the trio are turning into real troublemakers!! Thanks.

 

[Chickassan]

Lol, no problem! There are 5 here at eleven weeks that I hatched and raised.
They loved me as chicks but now they treat me like I have cooties, it will pass always does still feels kind of awful.

Haha thank you. I can see the trio are turning a real troublemakers!! Thanks.

 

[PirateGirl]

Not all chickens like to be touched. You are big and threatening and they do not know what is going to happen when you touch them. Some chickens mellow out once they start laying, some do not. I have ONE chicken I can easily pick up, the rest scatter. They aren't scared of me per se, they come running for food, they follow me around when I work on the garden, we are find occupying the same space, as long as I don't try and touch them!

 

[DanEP]

Chickens are like people some are social some aren't. I've had buffs that would sit next to me on the steps and tell all about her day while one other from the same batch never liked for me to get closer than 6-8 ft from her.
And Chickassan's right from about 10 weeks till about 18 weeks your just that annoying person that pays the cell phone bill and for some reason wants to talk.

 

[Essentiallyokanaganmom]

Bahahaha grateful for this information as we are coming up on 8 weeks with our chickies and some are becoming less tolerant of us already. Teenagers man....

 

[Matilda Belle]

I have one hen in my flock that actually likes me. The rest act like I'm some murderous giant.