How do I get my chicks to like me?

[ClickityChick123]

Hi everyone, i have a few four week old chicks that totally hate me, they won't eat out of my hands when i offer them tasty treats and any time i get within sight of them they freak out, and i don't know what to do. We have thirteen week old chicks that love me, they were eating out of my hands from day one. What should i do different? how should i get them to like me?

 

[Daisy June]

Let them know that you are Santa Claus.

 

[CalvinBrownie]

ferment chick feed for 12-48 hours and put it in a bowl they will realize its good and later feed them from your hand, you can also make a sound when you give them this fermented feed so they know its you. Also don't tower your hand above them because they'll think you're a hawk. Try to reach in from the side reaching sidewards.

 

[TwoCrows]

I have found that sitting down on their level makes them less fearful. I usually start at day old getting them out of the brooder and sit down with them in the floor. (Lay an old bed sheet down if you are brooding in the house.) They get scared and naturally gravitate to my lap. This teaches them that I am friendly and the trust begins. But you can still do this with 4 week olds. Once they become comfortable with hanging out on your lap and legs, you have won them over. Let them take their time, don't force them to trust you, food is always a great motivator for bonding. Handling them often helps too.

 

[ClickityChick123]

ferment chick feed for 12-48 hours and put it in a bowl they will realize its good and later feed them from your hand, you can also make a sound when you give them this fermented feed so they know its you. Also don't tower your hand above them because they'll think you're a hawk. Try to reach in from the side reaching sidewards.

I tried that and they LOVED it, but within a few days I noticed it started getting moldy. How do i prevent the mold and is it okay for them to be eating it?

 

[CalvinBrownie]

I tried that and they LOVED it, but within a few days I noticed it started getting moldy. How do i prevent the mold and is it okay for them to be eating it?

Mold should not be given to them I do a three bottle method that works for me you put feed in the first jar with one part feed and two or three parts water then the next morning move that jar up and put feed in the jar before that so it’s kind of like a way to track how long the jars have been fermented you can even do just two jars the chicks still love just a day old fermented feed but yeah either way do not give the chicks fermented feed any older than 36 hours it will mold even if you have a lot of water covering the feed

 

[CalvinBrownie]

Mold should not be given to them I do a three bottle method that works for me you put feed in the first jar with one part feed and two or three parts water then the next morning move that jar up and put feed in the jar before that so it’s kind of like a way to track how long the jars have been fermented, once the jar goes from one day to the second and third I dump out everything and restart the jar to day one. you can even do just two jars the chicks still love just a day old fermented feed but yeah either way do not give the chicks fermented feed any older than 36 hours it will mold even if you have a lot of water covering the feed.