help! training adult silkies?

[Member 151789]

hi, i have 4 almost adult silkies and two of them are hens. we are going to get rid of the roosters soon, so were talking about the 2 girls. when they were chicks,i guessed who would be girls and boys. i held the "girls" every day, and they really warmed up to me. they also came when i called. but after that i havent been able to hold them as much so now they are dead scared of me. they dont come when i call either. is there anyway to fix this?

Andrea

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Once they start laying they will become friendlier from my experience. They will squat for you and then you can easily pick them up.

If you can keep the roos I'd consider keeping them- silkie girls seem to me to especially need the roo around to help them navigate the chicken yard and in general be the brains of the operation.

I will never forget my silkie girl Ruby staring woefully through the fence as I drove off with her boy Rooey. She was so depressed after that and never fully recovered her happiness.

But I sold him because he was chasing my youngest child around the yard and I couldn't have that. A lot of folks don't want to keep roosters. So definitely sell them if you don't want them. I just wanted you to know that the girls do miss their boys.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I get my less friendly chicken to like me with live mealworms. They LOVE them and their affection is easily bought with a good enough treat.

I just sit low and still in the yard a ways away from them and toss them worms - slowly throwing them closer and closer to me. Make sure you are throwing them so that they can see them. I worked on it a little everyday getting them closer and closer and eventually they were eating out of my hand, claiming into my lap and waiting for me at the gate. Just need patience - don't push too much at one time.

 

[Member 151789]

I get my less friendly chicken to like me with live mealworms. They LOVE them and their affection is easily bought with a good enough treat.

I just sit low and still in the yard a ways away from them and toss them worms - slowly throwing them closer and closer to me. Make sure you are throwing them so that they can see them. I worked on it a little everyday getting them closer and closer and eventually they were eating out of my hand, claiming into my lap and waiting for me at the gate. Just need patience - don't push too much at one time.

thanks for the help. the only thing is that i dont have any places where meal worms would be sold. they might be at petsmart but i dont trust them.... i might find some other treat. thank you!

 

[Member 151789]

Once they start laying they will become friendlier from my experience. They will squat for you and then you can easily pick them up.

If you can keep the roos I'd consider keeping them- silkie girls seem to me to especially need the roo around to help them navigate the chicken yard and in general be the brains of the operation.

I will never forget my silkie girl Ruby staring woefully through the fence as I drove off with her boy Rooey. She was so depressed after that and never fully recovered her happiness.

But I sold him because he was chasing my youngest child around the yard and I couldn't have that. A lot of folks don't want to keep roosters. So definitely sell them if you don't want them. I just wanted you to know that the girls do miss their boys.

hi, thank you for your help. sadly i live in the city and cant keep the roos because of our stupid neighbors....haha anyway, from my experience with hens is that they squat when their scared . i really want a method where they will just come to me . thank you for your help

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote: Spaghetti noodles are a favorite treat, too.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

thanks for the help. the only thing is that i dont have any places where meal worms would be sold. they might be at petsmart but i dont trust them.... i might find some other treat. thank you!

If you are interested you can always order online or just start from somewhere like petsmart and farm your own how you want from that batch. Or any live bait place will sell them.

Any high value treat should work though.