Chickens still afraid of me.

[earlybird10842]

We get our hens from a local organic egg farm, and our first batch that we got adjusted to a backyard coop fairly fast. It wasn't long before they were eating out of our hands--even the shyest were after a week or two. And about two months later, we could pick up even the most skiddish of the bunch. Several months ago we got two more, and it took us nealy two months for them to eat out of our hands, and it is very hard to get ahold of them. Why would this be? One of the new hens, by the way, is pitch black, despite being an RIR mix, and the rest,all RIR mixes, pick on it because it stands out.

 

[BuffOrpington88]

Pick them up a lot and give them lots of treats (within reason). When you have the time, just get a chair and sit in the coop and read. They'll get used to you.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Pick them up a lot and give them lots of treats (within reason). When you have the time, just get a chair and sit in the coop and read. They'll get used to you.

I too have been doing this with my cockerel I got 3 weeks ago. He is now 19 weeks old and is almost eating out of my hand. I hold him for 5-10 minutes every two days, as I dont want him thinking he can be a lap bird, then reward them all with raisins. I figure by the end of the weekend he will be eating out of my hand like my 6 pullets that I hand raised from a week old and they are 14 weeks. And I also sit in the coop and follow them around when I let them out for a few hours each evening. It does work, just takes patience and determination.

 

[aoxa]

Why do you need to hold them exactly? Chasing them down is the worst thing to do if you are trying to get them to be less fearful. I find being calm and relaxed and just watching without trying to handle them unnecessarily provokes them to be more curious of you and eventually they are jumping on your lap for attention. I tried taming my first by holding them constantly. Did NOT work at all. They hated every moment of it (most, but not all). Once I got tired of running to hold them, they started approaching me and enjoying my company. My RSL hen Penny will seek me out for protection when the roosters are chasing her. She hops right up into my lap. If you need to inspect them for health reasons, do it at night. They don't stress out nearly as much. ETA: I must say, spend a lot of time just being outside with them. They need to see you as something that means no harm. I free range, and my flock comes running as soon as the screen door opens.

This is what happens when I don't handle them It works. Trust me.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Mine are 19 weeks today, and 8 of my twelve let me hold them. Some like it, some don't. I've tried chasing them down, and like aoxa said, it does NOT help. When they were chicks (and sometimes now) i'd take a book and sit in the brooder/coop. when they were chicks i would have 6 on each leg, just hangin' out. : D Now, i just squat down, so i look less intimidating. ALL a my chickens come runnin, even the 4 that don't like me AT ALL. the two that don't like me the most are 2 SLW. i have one 'fraidy cat ameracauna, too. Also treats help, although i didn't really use them to tame them. That way they like me for me, not my treats.

 

[Parrmom]

Why do you need to hold them exactly?
Chasing them down is the worst thing to do if you are trying to get them to be less fearful. I find being calm and relaxed and just watching without trying to handle them unnecessarily provokes them to be more curious of you and eventually they are jumping on your lap for attention.
I tried taming my first by holding them constantly. Did NOT work at all. They hated every moment of it (most, but not all). Once I got tired of running to hold them, they started approaching me and enjoying my company. My RSL hen Penny will seek me out for protection when the roosters are chasing her. She hops right up into my lap.
If you need to inspect them for health reasons, do it at night. They don't stress out nearly as much.
ETA: I must say, spend a lot of time just being outside with them. They need to see you as something that means no harm. I free range, and my flock comes running as soon as the screen door opens.

This is what happens when I don't handle them

It works. Trust me.

Well said!!! We do not handle our chickens unless it is totally needed and only at night! I do not even let my kids handle them. I let the kids have one chicken to handle and that is the only chicken that they are allowed to hold and if it dies, no more chicken until we get new and the cycle starts again. If we handle them too much, they get too tame and get stolen
or eaten. They do come up to us when we feed and we can look over the whole flock for problems at that time.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Well said!!! We do not handle our chickens unless it is totally needed and only at night! I do not even let my kids handle them. I let the kids have one chicken to handle and that is the only chicken that they are allowed to hold and if it dies, no more chicken until we get new and the cycle starts again. If we handle them too much, they get too tame and get stolen
or eaten. They do come up to us when we feed and we can look over the whole flock for problems at that time.

I was thinking about the stealing thing, and i solved that problem by only letting me and my brother handle them. And if someone wants to pet them hold them, me or him as to be there it catch it and to keep the boundries. Very genius idea though!

 

[aoxa]

Well said!!!  We do not handle our chickens unless it is totally needed and only at night!  I do not even let my kids handle them.  I let the kids  have one chicken to handle and that is the only chicken that they are allowed to hold and if it dies, no more chicken until we get new and the cycle starts again.    If we handle them too much, they get too tame and get stolen
 or eaten.  They do come up to us when we feed and we can look over the whole flock for problems at that time.  

Silkies are good for situations where kids are involved. I have a hen that is my go to bird for my nephew to pet. She doesn't run away at all, but approaches. I pick her up and he pets her. Pick them up if they aren't running away screaming bloody murder. If they run like that, PLEASE leave them be. Especially in the heat. You don't want to get them so stressed out they die from heat exhaustion.

My chicks jump right in my hand if I put it out in front of them. Treat of choice: Zucchini. Always offer grit on the side, and don't feed before a week (unless with a broody).

 

[Parrmom]

Silkies are good for situations where kids are involved. I have a hen that is my go to bird for my nephew to pet. She doesn't run away at all, but approaches. I pick her up and he pets her. Pick them up if they aren't running away screaming bloody murder. If they run like that, PLEASE leave them be. Especially in the heat. You don't want to get them so stressed out they die from heat exhaustion.
My chicks jump right in my hand if I put it out in front of them. Treat of choice: Zucchini. Always offer grit on the side, and don't feed before a week (unless with a broody).

We have a older blue cochin rooster who will just about let my kids doing anything to him. He approaches too. My boys know if the chickens walk away, you let them go. Ours are handled for about 3 weeks while they are in an inside brooder and that is only to clean it out. After 3 weeks, they are put into an outside brooder and not handled again until needed.

 

[aoxa]

We have a older blue cochin rooster who will just about let my kids doing anything to him.  He approaches too.  My boys know if the chickens walk away, you let them go.  Ours are handled for about 3 weeks while they are in an inside brooder and that is only to clean it out.  After 3 weeks, they are put into an outside brooder and not handled again until needed. 

Feel free to sit with them if you can fit in their brooder. Let them crawl all over you if you want. Just don't force them into it, that's all I'm saying. No one is wrong for handling their chicks, or not handling. I just think the less stress on a chicken, the better their life will be.