Chicks getting use to us?

[RonC]

Could be the breed of chickens also. I saw a youtube video about selcting chicken breeds. Basically most purebreed chickens are naturally more flighty than hybrids. It gives then an advantage against predators in a free range enviroment. Hybrids are bred to be more docile but makes them easier prey. I would think enough interaction would tame purebreeds down though.

 

[chestypuller]

our older ones (5 weeks) love sitting on our hands and will sleep, but the new (2 weekers) still run like the sky is falling. you can grab um and hold um but i dont think they enjoy it quite yet.

 

[ButchGood]

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?

That's what my chicken whisperer wife does. She sits in the run and they climb all over her/use her as a perch and get fed meal worms.

 

[Bostonbea]

You made me nervous there! Wasn't sure which of my suggestions your wife was doing. Glad it's sitting in the run! I actually tried it myself yesterday with much success. Gradually inched myself out and they followed.

 

[Nicole01]

It all depends on the breed. Usually it takes a week or two before they start to trust you. I hold mine daily and I sit them on my lap with bits of feed. After a week, I bring them on the kitchen floor with feed, by then they will jump up on my lap.

Good luck!

 

[aggiemae]

After two weeks of scattering and hiding in the far corners this morning two of the baby chicks were waiting by the door when I opened it to change the water. One of them practicality jumped into my hand!

 

[Ourfamilyflock]

Our chicks have come running to our hands when we reach into the brooder from almost day 2 of having them, they were a little under 2 weeks when we got them. 2 of them will hop into our hands when we put it next to them. The other while not hopping up for a lift, has no problem being grabbed in any angle. The last one is a bit skittish sometimes, she will still come running, but when you go to pick her up, she will duck, or hop over your hand and skitter off to a corner, but once your able to coral her shes fine.

The first few days we had them, we spent a lot of time with them, put towels in our laps and let them walk around us, and letting them come to us out of curiosity, eventually all 4 fell asleep in our laps. I think a lot depends on the chicks moods. Like kids their are times when they are curious and playful and when they are like that, being trapped in a hand is not very fun, and they will try their best to get away. Its best to let them be chickens for a bit, give them something to play with, let them wander around, when they start to settle and fluff out the feathers is the time to scoop them into your lap or hand, they will welcome the warmth, and fall asleep often their little beaks resting on you.