You know, I thought I knew the precise formula to this and then my most recent batch of pullets are making me try to figure it out again to some degree. When I got them, I was saying to myself "it's ok if this batch isn't friendly like my others" because I knew I wouldn't have as much time to interact with them as my previous batches of chicks...and yet at 6 weeks I swear these new brooder babies would crawl right up my nose if they could. That means every chicken I've had has ended up a hug addict even if it took a couple months.
I've raised 22 chickens from 3 different sources (two batches of hatchery chicks, hatching within my flock twice, & hatching eggs from a random local breeder). Not the biggest number I suppose, but with raising from multiple sources it just seems unlikely to me that it's completely luck of the draw given that not a single one stayed standoffish with me. The same is not true with my husband; some of my chickens love him, some don't. I think there's a lot to how you act with them, the body language etc., not just how often or how much time you spend. Time and frequency surely can't hurt but I think you can easily put off a nervous animal by doing the wrong thing.
I didn't push any of my chicks to interact with me, the only exceptions being if they had a physical problem that needed to be addressed immediately (pasty butt, etc.). Otherwise I just sit with them, let them out of their brooder in a safe area, and let them come to me and try not to move too fast when they're still skiddish. I don't move my hands fast unless one is about to do something dangerous. You get one that decides stepping on your hand is ok and the others follow in time. For really young chicks that are in a brooder rather than with a hen, I think responding when they cry is really important, even if it's just "I don't want to go to bed" sort of crying or that they got spooked in the middle of the night.
I've raised 22 chickens from 3 different sources (two batches of hatchery chicks, hatching within my flock twice, & hatching eggs from a random local breeder). Not the biggest number I suppose, but with raising from multiple sources it just seems unlikely to me that it's completely luck of the draw given that not a single one stayed standoffish with me. The same is not true with my husband; some of my chickens love him, some don't. I think there's a lot to how you act with them, the body language etc., not just how often or how much time you spend. Time and frequency surely can't hurt but I think you can easily put off a nervous animal by doing the wrong thing.
I didn't push any of my chicks to interact with me, the only exceptions being if they had a physical problem that needed to be addressed immediately (pasty butt, etc.). Otherwise I just sit with them, let them out of their brooder in a safe area, and let them come to me and try not to move too fast when they're still skiddish. I don't move my hands fast unless one is about to do something dangerous. You get one that decides stepping on your hand is ok and the others follow in time. For really young chicks that are in a brooder rather than with a hen, I think responding when they cry is really important, even if it's just "I don't want to go to bed" sort of crying or that they got spooked in the middle of the night.
! I miss him so much! Whenever I was sad I would go out to the chicken pen and just sit next to him and he would hug me. I wish I got more of his hugs before he died 
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