Creating tame chickens

[Club cramahe coop]

so we have a new small backyard flock of 11 mixed girls. We raised them from day olds and have always interacted with them. As chicks and even for many weeks , most of them were quite tame and we could pick them up and they would sit on our hands and arms. Now they are 19 weeks old and they are a nice temperament and will eat out of our hands and follow us around the run but they no longer let us pick them up. They are skiddish as soon as we reach to pick them up. If we corner a few of them and manage to get them picked up , some will settle down but most just want to be let down. Is this normal ? Is there a way to tame them a bit more . I read somewhere that once they start to lay, they may become more tame. Is that true ? Hoping they are just at that ackward teenage years.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If they haven't yet started laying, they'll still be a little more standoffish as their hormones need to settle down. They should become a little more friendly once they start laying, though they still may not enjoy being picked up.

 

[9SpiceyChickens]

Awkward teenage stage

 

[oystercrackers]

Definitely the skittish teenager stage, I have a skittish teen pullet too. Then again, I didn't raise her from a chick.

 

[Whatthecluck16]

Interested to hear how you have got on with your chickens. I recently got 4 11 week old hens and they are pretty skittish. How are yours doing now?