How do I make my chicken like me?

[CIuck]

What breed are they? I have EE and BL I raised together, and the EE got tame very quickly but the BL never did. They are very wild.

2 EE 1 barred rock and 1 silver penciled rock

 

[BigBlueHen53]

2 EE 1 barred rock and 1 silver penciled rock

I think you just have to patient, and be very calm around them. Don't chase them or try to grab them. If you are calm and quiet around them, as others have said, they will relax and learn to trust you. They will come closer to you, and eventually they may sit on you and take treats from your hand. It just takes time and patience. Good luck!

 

[Fru-Fru]

I have the same problem... After I started feeding them yolk and worms, they started swarming around my hand - they are 6 Silkies, still in a box brooder, 3 weeks old.

After a few days I tried to pick one up - poor thing almost got a heart attack, scared the others, now they all mistrust me again... Only one will let me delicatly touch him on the feathers.

Of course I want them to like me and trust me, and behave like pets, but even more, how can I raise them in my backyard, lock them for the night, put them in the cage run (at the start, they will have a detached mini run, until we build a bigger one), take care of them, if they run away in fear, and I cannot even pick them up?

And, if I don't teach them as chicks to trust me, and not get a heart attack when handled, can they learn when they are older? Should I just be patient? What when it's time to get them outside, and they have never been carried and handled? :O

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I have the same problem... After I started feeding them yolk and worms, they started swarming around my hand - they are 6 Silkies, still in a box brooder, 3 weeks old.

After a few days I tried to pick one up - poor thing almost got a heart attack, scared the others, now they all mistrust me again... Only one will let me delicatly touch him on the feathers.

Of course I want them to like me and trust me, and behave like pets, but even more, how can I raise them in my backyard, lock them for the night, put them in the cage run (at the start, they will have a detached mini run, until we build a bigger one), take care of them, if they run away in fear, and I cannot even pick them up?

And, if I don't teach them as chicks to trust me, and not get a heart attack when handled, can they learn when they are older? Should I just be patient? What when it's time to get them outside, and they have never been carried and handled? :O

Don't worry, many of us have chickens that have never been picked up or handled and they do just fine. Chickens naturally seek a secure, secluded location to roost as dusk falls, so they will seek out the coop at night once they are introduced to it, and they will seek daylight in the morning to peck and scratch. It's just what birds do naturally. The enclosed coop will open up into the run, right? So should be no problem. Just open the little door in the morning and they will come out, and close it behind them at night after they go in to roost.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have the same problem... After I started feeding them yolk and worms, they started swarming around my hand - they are 6 Silkies, still in a box brooder, 3 weeks old.

After a few days I tried to pick one up - poor thing almost got a heart attack, scared the others, now they all mistrust me again... Only one will let me delicatly touch him on the feathers.

Here's the thing - they'll get over it. Since yours like treats (mine won't take them ) use the treats in conjunction with picking them up to show them it's ok, that they get rewarded for it. Use a treat to lure them in, pick them up (not sure how your brooder is set up, but ideal to approach from the side instead of from above), then treat again. If you have the space (I assume they're indoors?) find a safe spot like a small bathroom to let them out, then sit amongst them and let them explore you as part of the environment, instead of just the big scary hand that grabs.

Some chickens never like being picked up but I want them all to tolerate it at least. Since my current chicks don't want any of the treats I've offered I just squat by them and scoop them up as they go by, and they're pretty tolerant of that.

 

[orloffer]

I don't know if this is good for chickens who are that young, but our flock will always come running when they see freeze-dried soldier fly larvae, or watermelon rinds. They absolutely love those!
Some chicken breeds are naturally more wary, but all individuals have different personalities. Our EE is not tolerant of petting, and does not like to be picked up, but if I stay still she will jump onto my lap or arm.

 

[bluemtnwmn]

Mine were pretty freaked at first about picked up. First, I learned not to pick them up by putting a hand over their backs. Putting a hand under their chest and rubbing gently, then sliding it down to between their legs, picking them up like that and quickly getting my other hand under their feet got them to chill. They are quite curious creatures and mine were fascinated with the view from 'up' (in my hand). Be careful that they don't try jump down from too high up!
After a while I started saying 'who wants to come up' and putting my hand into the brooder. Sometimes a chick would hop into my hand to be picked up, but sometimes they still ran away. Once they could hop/fly to edge of the brooder box, I usually had 5 or 6 that were willing to be plucked off the top and raised above the others for a bit.
They are now 8 weeks old, have been outside for 3 weeks, and can be pretty fickle about being picked up. I try to spend some time just hanging out with them every day, so they're not scared of me at all. Some times I pick them up like I did when they were little chicks and while they squawk in indignation about being picked up they are still fascinated by being up higher than the rest of the flock and will usually settle down on my hand to have a chat with me. Some are definitely more willing to be picked up than others. I have gotten to put a chair out in their run a few times and sit with them. Last time I wound up with 2 chickens vying for my lap!
Patience and treats will help. I'm glad to know the girls will settle a bit once they start laying!

 

[brendaanddaveriley]

What type of treats should I feed them? I got mealworms, but only 2 of them like the mealworms, sometimes I feed them strawberries and they LOVE them, but what else?

 

[brendaanddaveriley]

What type of treats should I feed them? I got mealworms, but only 2 of them like the mealworms, sometimes I feed them strawberries and they LOVE them, but what else?

My flock is now 7 wks old. I have 10 Black Jersey Giants in one coop and 4 Black Copper Marans in a chicken tractor. The both love getting treats, their favorite is dried fruit, especially cherries, and raisins. 9 of the jersey won't let me get near them, but they'll come running for treats, the smallest hen "I've named Braveheart" is the only one that will come to me and sometimes even let me pet her under her beak. The Marans are the complete opposite and will readily let me pet them, even without a treat. They will even get on their perch in order to get closer to my face when I'm filling their feeder and waterer. Working with them gently everyday I think will eventually help, but every chicken has it's own personality. When I was a child of 2 1/2 yrs old my Mom hatched out a brood of 6 or 7 chicks which she let me handle to get over my fear of the chickens, one of them, a rooster must have inprinted on me because even after he was grown and as big as me, he followed me around everywhere and wouldn't let the hens, cats, or dogs come anywhere near me. My favorite pet ever, my pet rooster "Giant". Still love him now even after 60 + years. Good Luck with the taming of the shrews! LOL

 

[ZenSyd]

They are 7 weeks old and ALWAYS run away from me, I tried moving slowly with not as strong movements but it didn't work, I have tried everything but they just dont like me, they are even scard when we walk into the room where they are to hold them, I hold them every single day for 1 hour. They are so scard, what should I do, how do I make them like me and follow me around, I was reading a thread were a chicken followed the owner around, how do I get that kind of trust, they are in a dog pen right now and there are 4 of them.

Sit on the floor next to their cage at their level. Be the person who gives them food and water. Offer treats slowly. Have them check you out by just being there watching them and they will watch you. However, do not hover above them. Chickens are naturally afraid of big things above them. It makes them want to run and hide. This is their instinct to get away from predators.