Chicks Scared of Us

[khoe]

I do the same thing lol I sing "Chicka Roo Chicka Roo Chicka Roo Roo Roo"

I sure hope I don't have any roos though Katie

Maybe I'll have to try your song for a change lol. Mine always goes "peepers, peepers, where'd you get this peepers!?" Lol they seem to like it!

 

[bubba1358]

I am sure to always "announce" myself when I go out to visit my girls

Great idea! Thinking about it, it does seem like our sudden appearance over the walls of the incubator instill just the smallest bit of surprise and panic. And when one spooks, they all do.

 

[crazydog2009]

I had the same problem this morning.

There where all fine yesterday we even took two old and the where roosting on my shoulder. Of course at different times. I just I'll have to try to give them some treats tonight.

I also talk to them every time I go near the brooder box. I always say good morning girls!

Some of them do look up and look at me with a stick eye.

Like I just woke them up.

 

[crazydog2009]

*out* not Old

 

[fiddlebanshee]

My experience is the same - treats work wonders - but to a degree. I have the third batch of chicks in the brooder right now, and it is very different from the other two. My conclusion is that it can vary quite a bit depending on the individual traits of a couple of the chicks who then start instilling the fear and panic in others.

Here's my analysis, because this puzzled me and I thought a bit about it.
1. My first two batches were from a national hatchery, dispatched and arrived at my home in 3 days. The first batch had 3 Light Brahma chicks that spooked at the slightest thing. They were also very soon the dominant chicks so everyone started behaving that way, with the exception of the three dominiques that allowed themselves to be petted but not held (now, one of them is a lapchicken, she changed after reaching laying age).
2. The second batch was added on to after the first week and, although the same age as the ones I already had, the newcomers were very skittish. The same thing happened, all got to be very skittish, and still are to this date at 11 months.
3. This latest batch came from a local breeder and I picked them up within 24 hours of hatching. They were in the dreaded box only for a 45 minute ride home. Maybe this made them bond with me right off the start.

just my observations.

 

[SobbaChickens]

I have six chicks all bought from my local feed store. I got them in two batches of three. The first three I got to hand pick. At first they were scared but within 24hrs they were happy as could be, very social and sweet. After doing more reading I decided that I wanted six chicks. During that trip to the store the sales person helping me was a jerk and wouldn't let me pick the chicks out myself (I got the first batch on Friday and the second on Saturday) there were also different aged chicks and he almost refused to get chicks out of the same brooder I had picked the day before but by this time I was turning into a ticked off customer so I guess he decided to quit fighting me.

Those three chicks I ended up regretted very quickly. They quickly turned my previously sweet and trusting chicks into scared turds. They are a bit over a month old now and although two of my chicks from the first batch have returned to their sweet ways I still have issues with the other four. BUT they are no where near as scared as the use to be.

Katie

 

[ashyndin]

I am sure to always "announce" myself when I go out to visit my girls. I have a stupid little song I always sing, and so I always sing it when I get near them. It lets them know I'm coming instead of just startling them. My boyfriend didn't announce himself and they were having a fit anytime he would show up. I finally convinced him to song the song when going out there and they haven't been startled since.

my father is very old school and he told me to "announce" myself too. so my first day throwing out some scratch he said that i needed to talk to them. he said "just say chick chick". so i did and they responded coming to my feet and eating the crumble. this was neat and i loved it. yesterday i was out feeding and doing my "chick chick" and apparently i have gotten really into it and gone up a few octaves because a crowd gathered on my back porch to watch me, not the chickens. they were having a field day. as they said "a 300 pound 6'4 man saying chick chick like fankie vallie". i guess they are right but my chicks respond to it and i can hold any of them at anytime, they range from 10 weeks to 15 weeks.

 

[bowen012]

Mine were friendly when small and and they went through that stage. They calmed somewhat but till they were about 5 months old they were still pretty skittish. Once they started laying it was like someone flipped a switch. Of course if one gets frightened they all panic.

There's one in every crowd! All of mine come now (after days of bribery through treats) but during the trust building stages there was one girl (who will come now but is still a bit timid at times) who would always freak the other ones out when they were doing well.

 

[bubba1358]

So announcing my presence has been working like a charm. I found that "Hey chicky-chicks" a few times works wonders. They perk up and expect me now. I also figured out that the flightiness is a knee-jerk reaction to one fella in particular. He's also the class bully, if you will, so I already know who'll be dinner first.

Thanks everyone for your advice!

 

[LTygress]

Thankfully, it's a phase. Mine do the same, but lately they realize that I am their source for food - and with 32 of them fighting over the same food bowl, they get greedy, and empty it quickly! I know they got enough because their crops are always BULGING!

So now instead of flying all over the place and running away, they run for the gate to the pen to try and be the first one to the bucket of food!