How do I bond with 1 week old chicks?

[siroiszoo]

I ordered 13 Orpingtons and 13 Australorps. I was determined that these would be friendly and not freak out everytime I got near or needed to pick one up for whatever reason.

So, I sat with them every day. I'd pick up as many as I could (can't really tell them apart). They would scream and I would hold them and gently pet them until they calmed down. Then, when I would set them down, I would keep them cupped in my hands but with their feet on the ground. They would try to panic & escape at this point, but I would gently hold them in that position until they calmed down. Then I would slowly, gently open my hand and they would walk off calmly; sometimes even coming back for more petting.

I've done this every day; my chicks are now 7 weeks old. You can definitely tell the ones I have worked with. They will come up and jump on me or stand still and allow me to pet them. The ones I haven't worked with still get hysterical. So I try to notice them and work with them a little more.

I couldn't say if this is the right way, but its working for me ;-)

 

[elmo]

Chickens are creatures of habit. By instinct, anything new is scary, even a slice of watermelon. Once it becomes familiar, though, they settle down and become comfortable.

Just be patient and keep doing what you're doing regularly. It might be good to set aside a dish or pail that you could use when you're feeding them treats, something that they could recognize and associate in their chicken brains with "yum!"

It shouldn't be too long before the sight of the treat pail will bring your chickens running to you.