Azygous made a good suggestion that I totally forgot... Getting lower to the ground. Sometimes when I bring treats I sit on ground and then my friendlier pullets (and even my sweet but standoffish 4 month old Black Sex Link) will walk on my legs. Good trust building activity. I also don't chase them to grab them unless it's an absolute emergency. I respect their personalities.
The BSL that i just mentioned is a great example of transformation through her growing up and me respecting her flighty personality. She was incredibly flightly for the first 2 months, so I just let her be. I walk about the run doing my business and leave her alone. Then one day she decided to show me that she trusted me enough to jump up onto my shoulder and perch... I was pretty happy with that. She's really coming around now and visits with me on a regular basis.
I think it's just personalities, and I think you can pretty much tell what their personality is going to be like from birth. I have RIR that goes off like a car alarm at the slightest touch, and she's been like that since day one. She's not scared of me. She doesn't run, but if i put litterally one finger on her she squaks and runs... And I love that about her! I don't think I'll ever be able to handle her, but that's ok by me. Her personality makes her fun to watch.
My friendliest birds are an Amber White, a Barred Rock, an EE, an orpington, and my sweet Welsummer.
The barred rock is the friendliest... Jumps up on me if given half a chance, but she's very much a groupie chick. She likes to shadow the leader chickens.
I will say the chickens I handled the most as chicks are the friendliest, but I think the truth is really that the friendliest chicks let me handle them most. I didn't make them that way, they've just always been that way.
Every chick is different, but the best thing you can do is just spend time with them, without any sudden movements that might scare them, and gradually build up their trust.
