How do you guys make your chicks nice and friendly?

[TACEYPERKINS]

Hi I have a couple 1.5 mth old Java chickens. I just got them about a week ago. They are flighty and they have started to try to bit at my hand when I'm petting them. Will this behavior eventually disapear or will it always be there no matter what I do. WHAT DO YOU GUYS DO TO MAKE YOUR CHICKS WANT TO CUDDLE YOU AND LOVE YOU?

 

[Featherwisp]

TREATS.
My chickies were first very skittish of my hand, but once I fed them a few times with my hand (sprinkling chick feed on it) they soon caught on!
Now they come and rush over to my hand whenever I lay it in the brooder.

Some chicks personalities are just cuddly...I have one that loves to sleep in my hand, and another that tries to jump out of it!

Lots of love, gentle hands, and food.

 

[musson]

Meal worms. The would have nothing to do with me until I gave them meal worms. Now I am their best friend

 

[imtc]

I've only had my chickens a year now but they all started out that way...ran from me when I went in to feed and tried to hold them. I would pretty much just "force" them to let me touch them with complaints until eventually they were used to it and now will stop and squat to let me pet them. I'm remembering them being close to laying age before that happened. I also got a couple adult hens given to me later on that were not used to me or being handled and they still tend to run from me but now they are broody so will tolerate me petting them in the nest since they'd prefer not to get off the eggs. Now they are very tame and pretty much tripping me every time I go in the pen wanting to see what I'm bringing them and let me pet them with no complaints. I would just keep handling them a little bit every day, bring them treats to eat and eventually they'll warm up to you and allow you to handle them more. good luck.

 

[txchickie]

Lots of treats fed out of your hand when they're young. Hold them a lot while they're still small & fuzzy (poop washes off--don't be scared!

)

 

[TACEYPERKINS]

Sounds great, alot of good advice. I have 2 young kids, 2 & 5, I don't want the chickens attacking them. And I don't want my kids being scared of them either. Right now, my kids love to go into the coop and pet our other chickens. They love it. I will try giving them treats and that should do it. ~ Tacey

 

[Fruit Juice]

I haven't given mine treats, and most are still a little scared of me, but they love to cuddle, and they are very friendly when you pick them up. I also handle them every dayto get them to be real freindly and used to being handle, although they still don't make the connection to cuddling, (which they like), and being picked up, (which they don't really like that much).