How do you tame chicks?

[gtaus]

That’s good, the best way to a chicken’s heart is always through their stomach

So, what's the difference between a man and a chicken? Not much, evidently!

More seriously, I am also thinking about how to tame my 4 week old chicks. They protest when I pick them up, but they do settle down quickly. They surly don't come to me willingly. But they are still in the brooder and maybe we will be better friends when they get moved to a coop and run and I can physically be in their space. And yes, I plan on getting meal worms for them.

 

[harmonyp]

This is only my second set of chicks, so I'm not expert, but I'll share my experience. I currently have 17 chicks - five 6 week olds, the rest 7 week olds.

I've been handling them since day 1, checking each for pasty butt up close and personal. Most of my cochins, all of my brahmas, and the one barred rock are extremely social. They come running up to me, and when my arms are in their brooder (now coop), they'll hop on them. I think this is from hand feeding their chick starter daily from the first week, and spending up to an hour a day in with them, talking softly to them, and giving them my hands to explore, and quietly picking up the ones that seem least fearful.

The speckled sussex's are more shy, but will let me pick them up without too much ruckus. Next on list are the partridge rocks. The americana and cuckoo maran are letting me touch their feathers without running but don't want to be picked up. Then the barnevelder and wyandottes don't want to have anything to do with me.

I think it's a combination of nature and nurture. But time and patience and quietness are key.

 

[gtaus]

...I think it's a combination of nature and nurture. But time and patience and quietness are key.

Yes, I think I need to spend more time with my chicks. I bought some chicks from breeds known to be very friendly. So I hope their nature comes through.

This is the first time I have raised laying hens, so I hope to have a more personal relationship with them. In the past, I raised Cornish cross meat birds, and they would chase me down for feed. But they were never friendly as I only had them for about 8 weeks and I never attempted to tame them.

I have also raised ducks and geese. By nature, the ducks never wanted to do much with me, kind of like cats I guess. The geese, on the other hand, followed me around like a puppy dog. Nature I guess because I treated both ducks and geese the same.