Don't like to be handled.

[reidymikenewbie]

My chicks are around a week old and don't like hands in their brooder. They freak out and run to the far end of the brooder so I can't reach them. Is this normal behavior for young chicks like this? Will the eventually grow out of it? Do they need training? Thanks in advance BYC community!

 

[MarieNC]

You might want to let them come to you. Just lay your hand in the brooder, don't make quick movements and talk softly to them.

 

[Jakoda]

mine are 4 days old, I talk to them all the time and put my hands in the brooder, they come a running and jump in my hands, peck at my fingers/rings, (they like shiney things

right now a couple are much more friendly, crawling all over me than some, with those I pick them up and snuggle with them a little, then put them down and let them sit in both my hands,,

I think as the above poster suggested, talking to them, laying your hands in their brooder pen with them, several times a day really helps,,also put some of their feed in your hands..

 

[janinepeters]

Fear of any potential predator moving overhead or reaching to grab them is a natural, self-protective instinct. As above posters suggested, you need to desensitize them to your presence so they will not fear you. The more time you spend with them, handling, hand-feeding, etc., the tamer they will become towards you.

 

[cyw iar]

In my super, super limited experience (going on 48 hours!), as suggested above, I just lay my hand in the brooder with some crumbles in it and all the chicks have come around to eating out of my hand, jumping up on it and going for short "air lift" rides - when one is standing on my hand, I just gently lift them up. They still squeak bloody murder when I change the paper towel, but they're generally more curious than scared now.

 

[n8ivetxn]

Mine are going on 4 weeks and they're just getting used to me. I got them at 2 weeks old....Yes, they run like I'm trying to eat them, but I put my hand in and let them see it coming toward them, corner them and scoop them up for some cuddling... They're getting better, one is very courageous ( a courageous chicken? Isn't that an oxymoron?)

 

[BeulahBreezes]

Even though they still protest, (some more that others..lol), I make sure I atleast touch and pet my 11 week old chickens everyday! My RIRs let me pet them, but the cuckoo marans are still skiddish! Now each night before they retire for the day, they all fly up to the top of their coop.....I make sure to take time with each one so they stay tame! ~Beulah

 

[Megs72]

I think some of it is personality too - I have 4 - 6 week old chicks who were friendly and I was able to handle them from the start. I added 2 more - now 3 weeks, and of those 2 one of them runs from me when I open the brooder, yells, doesnt like to be held, and pecks the heck out of your hand.

I did also find out it is a "he" - I would assume he should be more aggressive by nature. He tries to protect his little brooder mate, even charging the old girls 4X his size!!! Tuff little bugger!