Does age of chicks make a difference in tameness?

[Colie <3]

Sorry if this is a repeat and covered somewhere else, I searched but came up blank.

I want to buy some chicks to raise as pets, ideally ones tame enough to end up actually wanting to be or liking to be handled or touched. I'm looking mainly at silkies.
Here's my question: Is it best to buy a chick that is a few days to just a couple weeks old in this case? I'm seriously wanting to get some silkies from a breeder who has been super helpful and has beautiful chicks but they will be 3-5 weeks old when I get them. Will this make them less likely to want to be handled or bond with my family in the long run?

Thanks I hope I phrased my question in a understandable way

edit to add: the chicks in question haven't been paid special attention to up until this point they have been picked up on occasion but that's all.

 

[Illia]

They should still be fine. 10 weeks and over is usually when they get skittish if not previously handled. But, if you give them enough attention, they should turn out fine. I've had a 5 month old Silkie cockerel handed to me and he was a babe!

 

[aubreynoramarie]

i think it depends, my nhr that i got as a day old doesnt care to be handled, but my e.e./ orp mix who i got as a five month old who had never been handled now enjoys being held and pet on the head. i dont think youll have anything to worry about with silkies though

good luck!

 

[Colie <3]

That great news thanks for the feedback

Silkies seem pretty sweet in general, I wanted to get a few bantam ameraucanas as well but I'm still unsure. They are the same age range or at least would be by the time the weather clears to ship.

 

[gryeyes]

I have absolutely no experience with silkies (and never plan to), but I do have two little bantam EE pullets. Their small green eggs are so CUTE!

The girls are kinda skittish, but I have a rather large flock and a LOT of LF chickens, including some HUGE, young Jersey Giants, so I think they're kinda overwhelmed.

 

[RedneckChikns]

All of my babies, and I raise them by the 100's are always skittish no matter the breed...then by the time they are happy and about in the grow out pens, they suddenly realize I am the hand that feeds them (or something clicks in their pea sized brains) and they become my best buddies and all the skittishness is gone, even in the skittish breeds. ANd I cant say I dont spend a few minutes each day giving some of my favorites a stroke on the breast or a pat..but then thats it. Ive said it before and Ill say it again tho...chickens DO NOT MAKE good PETS...get a dog a cat or a goat or a bottle calf or a horse first. Not that they cant become pets....but.....(making faces) chickens are best servedby being chickens. House chickens should be banned and whomever thought of poop diapers for house chickens needs to be publically hung! lol Silkies tho are very docile and small by nature. If you REALLY want to make a PET chicken, keep it totally by itself from the time it comes from the egg and let it bond to you (cant believe I said that) but tis true. Once they are with other chickens...they learn to be chickens first and formost, not pets.

I personally will not sell a single chick to anyone, but someone will, or hatch it yourself. I have a buddy who has peafowl. He, for grins and giggles, desided to raise one as a pet right out the egg. Thing is a rare color and lovely, a hen, and she clucks like a dog and wants to be petted on the head. She will not mate or mingle with the others and literally will stand at the wire wall of the coop and "cry" for her owner. He said it was the biggest dis service he ever did to a bird. Just something to think about.