did i do something wrong?????? i'm really disappointed...

[madi99]

i'm stumped.

before i got my first set of hatching eggs i was reading about and hearing from other people that if i was the one who was there when the chicks hatches and i was the only person spending time with them that they would "imprint" me as their mother. theyre 3 weeks old today and i still don't feel like that happened.

this being my first time i had high hopes of the little chicks loving me and following me around. I spend probably 5+ hours with them everyday, i'm the one who feeds them and changes their bedding, and i handle them constantly... i have from the very first day.i see videos of people whose chicks basically worship them, while mine still scream every time i try to go near them.

I have an assorted bunch of chicks.. different breeds and genders so i don't think it has anything to do with a specific breed...

Does anyone know what went wrong???

 

[Lacrystol]

I don't think anything is wrong, it's called growing up, learning to be more independent,. My chicks do the samething, however, I did find that giving them TREATS, really loosens them up and I'm talking good treats like mealworms or waxworms or something like that. Mine will go through these weird stages, but once they get older and turn more "adultish", they come "sort of speaking", out of there shell and gain your confidence back.. I have three Bantams that I have NEVER handled, now that they are adults, they exspect me to come get them and put them to bed. YES, They will stay outside, next to the coop, they get on the highest thing they can, and WAIT. I put my hands out to let them know I'm gonna hold you, they just sit there and talk to me. Never handled them at all. EVER. I swear, never ever.. Once I get them in my hands they just TOTALLY relax and if it was there choice would just sleep in my hands..

However I have had some that I have handle constantly when they were chicks and as teenagers they always act as though I'm going to kill them if I get to close. I'm sure once they reach the adult stage, I will probably have to carry them off to bed.. LOL So wait until the get older, I'm sure they will end up being different Chickens.

 

[bckyrdchknluvr]

Mine did that too as they started to get older. I started giving hem treats at random times and days, now they come running every time I go near their enclosure. My girls are both over a year now, and have 4 new silkie chicks I'm raising under my Bantam RIR. My other chicken is an Ameraucana.

 

[madi99]

thanks i appreciate your help i just really wanted them to get excited when i came to see them or at the very least feel comfortable being around me... some of them i can pick up and they'll relax but there are still a few that don't understand that i'm not going to hurt them. i was really looking forward to having them think of me as their mother but hopefully like you said they'll grow out of it and become more comfortable around me. i think i'm going to try mealworms too... i havent given them any treats yet so maybe that'll help

 

[Lacrystol]

thanks i appreciate your help i just really wanted them to get excited when i came to see them or at the very least feel comfortable being around me... some of them i can pick up and they'll relax but there are still a few that don't understand that i'm not going to hurt them. i was really looking forward to having them think of me as their mother but hopefully like you said they'll grow out of it and become more comfortable around me. i think i'm going to try mealworms too... i havent given them any treats yet so maybe that'll help

When giving them the mealworms, try this, sit down on the ground in the coop or whereever they are and feed them it, keep it in your hands and let them take the worms from you.. The ones that are skiddish will see the more friendly ones getting good treats and come around.... But I'm sure as they get older they will look at you as MOMMY.

Don't forget to make the CLUCKING Noise, MOMMY HEN.. LOL

 

[madi99]

When giving them the mealworms, try this, sit down on the ground in the coop or whereever they are and feed them it, keep it in your hands and let them take the worms from you.. The ones that are skiddish will see the more friendly ones getting good treats and come around.... But I'm sure as they get older they will look at you as MOMMY.

Don't forget to make the CLUCKING Noise, MOMMY HEN.. LOL

lol thank you so much!! i will definitely try that as soon as i get some mealworms and grit... mealworms seem great because i also want to give them something healthy that will benefit all of us

 

[nurse_turtle]

Your chicks are teenagers right now and do not love you. They will come around to their senses in another month or two.

 

[madi99]

lol thanks everyone! i'll keep everything in mind and hopefully they'll come around

 

[IWantchickens20]

spot did it to when i first got her, now she tends to be on her own even away from other chickens until bed time.