How do I make my chicken less scared of me?

[CIuck]

My chickens are all so afraid of me, I have no idea why, I hold them and they are calm, but when they see me move the get so scared, I have tried everything but nothing seems to work, they are 11 weeks old, is it to late for them to trust me? If not then how do I make them trust me?

 

[black_cat]

My chickens are all so afraid of me, I have no idea why, I hold them and they are calm, but when they see me move the get so scared, I have tried everything but nothing seems to work, they are 11 weeks old, is it to late for them to trust me? If not then how do I make them trust me?

Try just sitting with them in a space where they can move freely, without you touching them or holding them. If you just sit with a book, they'll get used to you being there. Also make it known that you are the bringer of treats and food.

 

[CIuck]

Try just sitting with them in a space where they can move freely, without you touching them or holding them. If you just sit with a book, they'll get used to you being there. Also make it known that you are the bringer of treats and food.

Ok! I will try that, there favorite treat is cottage cheese and oats!

 

[black_cat]

Ok! I will try that, there favorite treat is cottage cheese and oats!

I am NOT a fan of cottage cheese-but I'm sure your chicks like it! Chickens can be fed almost anything as treats (keyword: almost), but you have to make sure that the majority of their diet is still their food. If you have a place that you can safely bring them outside to sit with them, or construct some makeshift walls so they can't run willy nilly, that would probably be good. Put some treats on the ground near you, then eventually on your shoes/lap, then at some point they should be fine with eating from your hand. Here's a good article on what treats you can and can't feed your chickens: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...—the-best-treats-for-backyard-chickens.47738/
Also make sure that they are getting enough chick grit to properly digest the treats!

 

[CIuck]

I am NOT a fan of cottage cheese-but I'm sure your chicks like it! Chickens can be fed almost anything as treats (keyword: almost), but you have to make sure that the majority of their diet is still their food. If you have a place that you can safely bring them outside to sit with them, or construct some makeshift walls so they can't run willy nilly, that would probably be good. Put some treats on the ground near you, then eventually on your shoes/lap, then at some point they should be fine with eating from your hand. Here's a good article on what treats you can and can't feed your chickens: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-treat-chart—the-best-treats-for-backyard-chickens.47738/
Also make sure that they are getting enough chick grit to properly digest the treats!

Thank you! I will check the article out!

 

[clickchicks]

I'm still very new to chicken keeping myself, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but it seems like less is more sometimes.

Like black_cat, give them some space but still be present. I brought mine home as pullets who were already a couple of months old, so I was also worried they would never warm up to me.

The first few days I just ignored them. Went into their coop to clean, feed, and water but didn't touch or intact with them. Gave them time to just decompress and get into a routine. I would talk soft to them, just saying nothing in particular but let them get used to hearing me = nothing to be worried about. About 3 days after they arrived I started offering some treats (grasshoppers drove them nuts, but also mealworms). Within a couple of days they were running up to me for treats and I could feed their normal food from my hand. Now I'm mobbed anytime I enter their run, they officially think I'm the treat lady haha.

I'm sure they'll come around to you!

 

[CIuck]

I'm still very new to chicken keeping myself, so take my advise with a grain of salt, but it seems like less is more sometimes.

Like black_cat, give them some space but still be present. I brought mine home as pullets who were already a couple of months old, so I was also worried they would never warm up to me.

The first few days I just ignored them. Went into their coop to clean, feed, and water but didn't touch or intact with them. Gave them time to just decompress and get into a routine. I would talk soft to them, just saying nothing in particular but let them get used to hearing me = nothing to be worried about. About 3 days after they arrived I started offering some treats (grasshoppers drove them nuts, but also mealworms). Within a couple of days they were running up to me for treats and I could feed their normal food from my hand. Now I'm mobbed anytime I enter their run, they officially think I'm the treat lady haha.

I'm sure they'll come around to you!

I hope, thanks for the good advice! I bought tons of mealworms but my chickens dont seem to like them, but they LOVE OATS!!!! I bet they will like grasshoppers too! I hope I become the treat lady!

 

[rosemarythyme]

How long have you had them (like did you get them as tiny chicks under a week old, or as started pullets?)

They're at the age where even if you've raised them from the start, and they were friendly with you, they've become kind of standoffish and flighty due to hormones and such. They'll calm back down once they reach point of lay.

 

[CIuck]

How long have you had them (like did you get them as tiny chicks under a week old, or as started pullets?)

They're at the age where even if you've raised them from the start, and they were friendly with you, they've become kind of standoffish and flighty due to hormones and such. They'll calm back down once they reach point of lay.

I got them when they where