Crazy chicks.... Normal behavior??

[SunshineBubble]

I know I'm supposed to hold my chicks so they get to know me, but every time I go up to their brooder they run around and start peeping.... Bothered I am there. They're running from me now when I try to catch them and they're trying to jump out of their brooder. I put a screen on to keep them in. Is this normal behavior?!? Should I keep trying to hold them or am I just stressing them out?! They're almost 2 weeks old. 2 production red and 2 Plymouth Barred Rock.

 

[laseterlass]

Pretty normal behavior. Your big and over their heads acting like a predator. Once they calm down lay your hand palm up and wiggle you fingers. See if they will come up for belly scratches. I rarely pick them up but if they will walk over my hand I will oick them up.

 

[ShawnaScott]

The way I tame my chicks is TREAT, TREATS, and more TREATS!!!! Now they run over to me whenever I come down to see them! I start off with a couple mealworms in my hand. If they won't come to me (I usually waited about 5 minutes) then I toss them over to the chicks. I do this a couple times a day (be careful not to give them too many) until they will eat the worms out of my hand. Then I will start having chick feed in my hand, and other types of treats too. After about 3 weeks of doing this, they will all hop up on my lap and inspect me, looking for treats. Mine really like fresh corn on the cob, tomatoes, strawberries, cooked pasta, hard boiled eggs, yogurt, dried mealworms, fresh earthworms, grass/weeds, etc. Be sure that if you give the chicks anything other than yogurt or eggs that you give them grit too. I feed it in a seperate container.

 

[SunshineBubble]

Thanks for the info. I'm gonna do a combination of the two.

 

[gino100]

One thing that works great is to just put some if there feed in your hand and leave your hand in a while. I did that with mine and they acted like they were getting something special.

 

[SunshineBubble]

I don't think mine like me ... LoL

 

[ShawnaScott]

I don't think mine like me ... LoL

I don't know a whole lot about your breed, but on "PurelyPoultry" neither were known for being extremely friendly; the closest it came was "docile personality" on the barred rock. It may be that their overall personality and the temperment of the breed is why they aren't very friendly with you. If in a few weeks they don't start to warm up to you, you may consider trading them for particularly friendly chicken breeds. I do know that Silkies are considered exceptionally friendly, mine definately are.

 

[SunshineBubble]

I noticed today after keeping my hand in the brooder for awhile they stopped peeping and jumping all over the place. They stomp all over each other ... Drives me nuts.

 

[laseterlass]

1 silkie and 6 choc orps. The silkie is a bit stand offish but it probably has to do with its head feathers and the fact that the orps are so pushy.

 

[teafreak35]

I change the bedding in our brooder everyday. We have nine chicks. I transfer them to another box while changing the bedding. When I'm done, I spend a few minutes holding each one, rubbing their backs, necks and bellies before I put them back in. Some still run when I reach my hand into the brooder, but most have gotten to where they stay pretty calm. Time, time, time is all I can say.