Chicks keep running from me

[birdmandan]

Hi all. I incubated 18 eggs and 14 hatched just 2 weeks ago. They are currently in the brooder. Everytime I open the brooder to feed, clean or water them, they all run, flap and scramble. They are frizzles, pekin and silkies. I heard that they become friendlier after 6 months or when you start to freerange. Is this behaviour normal for young chicks? They would have imprinted onto each other and may see me as a threat when I disturb them in the peaceful brooder.

 

[Dmontgomery]

My chicks are always skittish for the first week or two in the brooder also. I have found that once I start hand feeding them treats, they calm down a lot and come running to me when I approach the brooder. Eventually I have the problem that they try to jump out of the brooder onto my arms to get as close as possible.
I socialize them by offering bits of white bread in my open palm at about 2 weeks. Mine always love bread and they quickly learn to not run away. My youngest "brooder babies" are now 4-5 months old and freerange all day. Some afternoons I still go out in the back and sit on the ground to hand feed them bread. I have a flock of almost 60 birds total. It is funny to watch them all scramble over each other to get the treats.

 

[aart]

Totally normal, especially if you're brooder requires you coming in from the top.
They are prey animals, instinctively fleeing when something large approaches.
6 months won't magically change that behavior.
They need to be handled often...like twice a day...carefully picked up and held until they calm. Some will never calm, some will do a 180.
Had 2 chicks that never calmed no matter how much I handled them...but later at about 3-4 months, they would approach me, stand still to be touched and loved to be picked up...that lasted awhile, then they got distant again.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

I combat this with dried meal worms. Most of my chicks also scrambled. I have four 6 week olds and eleven 3 week olds. I made a point of dropping in a handful of worms in the brooder then walking away 3-4 times a day. After 3 days I started bending over and offering some in my hand as well as sprinkled on the floor. It didn't take long for them to figure things out and start hoping on my hand for the best spots. The younger ones do still have an initial scatter, moment of alarm, when I open the door to the garage. But they recover within seconds and then run right over for treats. A few are naturally calmer and more handleable from right out of the egg. I focus on taming these chicks only. And I'm satisfied as long as all others will come for treats and are reasonably catchable as adults.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

This is what I bought because I have tons of chickens. They have a smaller 5lb bag that's still a great deal. Anything else would make my method very expensive.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01L...r_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=QRJC3BB8EZGHFMYVB78B

 

[aart]

Make sure you give the appropriate sized grit when feeding young chicks anything other than chick starter. http://www.jupefeeds-sa.com/documents/GraniteGrit.pdf

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Hi all. I incubated 18 eggs and 14 hatched just 2 weeks ago. They are currently in the brooder. Everytime I open the brooder to feed, clean or water them, they all run, flap and scramble. They are frizzles, pekin and silkies. I heard that they become friendlier after 6 months or when you start to freerange. Is this behaviour normal for young chicks? They would have imprinted onto each other and may see me as a threat when I disturb them in the peaceful brooder.

Face facts. You tower over your chicks so you must look like the biggest hawk or owl that your pets have ever seen.

 

[Folly's place]

I use a stock tank as a brooder, so I'm looming over the chicks every visit, and they are not pleased. When they move to the coop at three weeks or so, in their section, with their heat source, I go in and 'hang around' for a while every day, and the babies become more relaxed and accepting. Bringing goodies helps too!
Some breeds and individuals will be more interactive, and some not. They're chickens, not toy poodles! Mary

 

[azygous]

Yes, it really is as simple as how you approach the chicks, whether from above them or from the side, as to whether you will have chicks that run from you in fear or calm, tame chicks.

If you change from reaching down at them to reaching in from the side, you will see a 100% change, even in breeds not inclined to be especially sociable.

 

[justachickenlover]

yes to me it is absolutely normal. When I got my chicks, they were scared of me too, but as they grew up, they let me touch them, pick them up, and pet them.