City boy with a bit of a problem.

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FlintCoop

FlintCoop

Hatching
7 Years
Jun 5, 2012
3
0
7
My friend and I converted a garage/shed into a coop and built a run out in the back that connects to the shed. We got three hens yesterday. They're full grown Isa Browns. Both of us being from the city were super pumped and also really curious about our new pets. We sat in lawn chairs and watched them for about four hours. At first they were very timid and didn't want anything to do with us, as the evening went on they would get close to us but were still pretty skittish. Nothing too surprising.

Athe end of the evening one flew up at me and was kind of kicking out. I'm not ashamed to say that it freaked me out, haha. Today I came into the hen house and wanted to feed them, they are pecking at each other and they were walking aggresively towards me. They don't want to be near us really and keep pushing each other out of the nests.

I thought that this would be a descently smooth transition. It's day two now. We're keeping them in the hen house to acclimate themselves to their new home. But I thought they'd be friendly in general. Is there anything I can do to A. show my dominance? B. Let them know that we come in peace? ha.
 
hens can just be like that, especially if they didn't know you as chicks. I am not quite sure how to stop them form doing that except maybe try and hold them or hand feed them a bit.
OH AND
welcome-byc.gif
 
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Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan :D

They neither know you or trust you. Give them some time. Move slowly, calmly and confidently around them until they are used to you. Little special treats like scratch grain, bread and fruits and greens will help. Trying to catch them will likely just freak them out.
 
Hello and :welcome

Hi, we're city folks too, although we raised our chickens from when they were a couple of weeks old. Our neighbours however had a similar problem to you when they first got their chickens. You'll probably need to give it time, they're still getting used to things in their new place. I agree, you don't want to try to catch them, just keep feeding them and they'll get to know you as the person who brings the food, and will not be so hostile towards you. :p If they are pecking at each other, perhaps they need a distraction in the coop. If they haven't lived together before you got them, they'll still be establishing a pecking order and that could go on for a while. Maybe a couple of weeks. However when that's sorted out things should calm down. Try hanging up a cabbage in the coop. It'll keep them occupied and hopefully stop them turning on each other. :p

Good luck!!
 

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