flighty chicks

[Sam40]

I incubated and hatched 5 silver laced wyandotte's they are now just over 3 weeks old. They are so flighty and nervous, they hide and panic when i go near the brooder or change water and add food. Any advise please, will they settle soon???

 

[DawnM]

Every chick I have ever had has been like that. They usually settle down a lot after they start laying. Before that they scream bloody murder and run in a panic every time they see you coming.

 

[jomoncon]

Even at 2 weeks, mine loved to see me coming - since I was the one who brought treats. When young, the treats ere earthworms, dandelions or chopped leftover chicken. They still come running when they see me. I can't handle them very well yet, but now at 4 weeks, I can sort of pet them.

 

[azygous]

I've had two batches of Wyandottes, and no matter how much handling they had as chicks, they all grew up to be stand-offish. I think it's just the way this breed is.

That said, I discovered this summer that I could increase the tameness of baby chicks by having the brooder up on a table so that I could approach the chicks from the side rather than dive down on them from above. All chicks instinctively fear anything coming down upon them from over-head.

If you can't modify your brooder in this way, then try to scoop your hand in down the side and then under them. But it helps a lot for them to see that a human is attached to the big hand. It really does make all the difference in how flighty or tame your chicks will be.