Chicks getting use to us?

[StarryEyzz]

Hello, on Saturday, we brought home 4, week old chicks. Every day we slowly put our hands into the brooder and try to pet or hand feed them. How long till they will quit running from us and show some curiousity to us?
THANKS
Christina

 

[Scooter&Suzie]

Since they are no longer those tiny fluff balls they might be a bit harder to "tame". The more you hold them, and the more you spend time around them, the less skittish they should be. Try feeding them by hand to show them you mean food!

 

[StarryEyzz]

Oh I meant they are one week old......we got 4 of them. LOL

We will keep trying!

 

[4 Love of Baby Chickens]

Mine, it took them almost a month to know I meant food. lol
For the first 3 weeks of their lifes they were wild as a deer with momma hen attacking my hand. Then suddenly, just last tuesday, they started swirling around my feet wanting me to pet them! Now I have to scoot my feet instead of taking steps for fear of stepping on one of the chicks!

Have faith........
Your chicks will come around.

 

[RonC]

Took mine a bit to get used to being handled. Feed them their feed or a treat from your hand. Mine love raw oats. I would pick them up to move them outside daily for an outing. Seems they got friendlier after they moved out of the brooder. Now I go out into the run and sit down on a stool and get mobbed. Out of six there are four that will almost fight to get in my lap. There is one if I don't sit down she will lay on my shoe if I stand in one spot too long.

 

[aggiemae]

I am glad I read this thread. Our four chicks (4-6 days old) all run to the back corner of the brooder when we open it. We are checking them for pasty butt and holding them for 10 minutes or so twice a day. Once they are caught they seem OK being held, one of them actually seems to like it.

I hope that's not too much handeling, two chicks died in the first 24 hours, so I want to keep things low stress for the chicks (and for my kids who are more upset about the dead chicks that I expected).

 

[ButchGood]

For my 16 chicks, week 3 was the turning point. They have been outside for a few days and got a taste of meal worms and figured out were these delicious morsels were coming from. At week 4 they darn near knock you over when you walk into the run to see them.

 

[PeepsAreForMe]

My 5 chicks are a week old, and they too run to the corner when I put my hand in. I was wondering when they will get used to me. Two did come close and peck me once or twice and then ran away. I want them to be glad to see me when I come around!! Well, they were glad when I came running because they were chirping up a storm - my cat was perched on the window sill looking down on them! I know make sure the door is always closed to the room they are in . . . .

 

[bucky52]

i have ten four week olds.they have been moved out of the brooder and into their new coop.they will come running for a treat of meal worms and will eat out of my hand.but they will scream if i pick them up.

 

[Bostonbea]

Glad you asked this question! So I finally have my 3 week olds use to me coming near their brooder. Still bit skittish, but realize that I have yummy meal worms and readily jump on my lap. No problems. Now take this same scene outside and they run from the crazy woman with worms in her hand! What gives! How can I get them use to me in an outside situation? Do I need to sit in their run with them? Wear a large chicken suit?