How to get the Chicks socialized to me?

[WhySayWhat]

My BR (that I picked up on Wednesday) has discovered a healing blood blister on my index finger, lol. She thinks that's the best treat ever! Or possibley she just likes making me yelp, lol. She grabs it and tries to tear it off! I picked up a bag of chick grit yesterday and am not so patiently waiting for them to be a little older before I give them any treats. I have some Greek stlye yogurt (plain) for them that I may try tonight with a little "granola" feed on top. Two of the three are having a little issue with some pasting while the third is pooing liquid! At least I think it's the third one...whoever is having the issue is only doing it when I am working with the BR, so I can't tell which of the SLWs is having that issue.

I priced Mealworms at the feed store and they are spendy ($10 for the cheapest bag)! But, if I can get a small amount at Wal-Mart, I will def. give that a shot tomorrow! I don't want to overdo the treats...but I need to give them something to do so they'll quit emptying the feeder onto the floor every time I turn my back!

 

[noodleroo]

Quote:
Try a mashed up, boiled egg. Mine go crazy for it! But they'll still empty the feeder on the floor...

 

[myfester]

I play with my babies. Even at a day old, they like to chase my finger if I run it along the floor. I also get a short piece of spaghetti, and let them chase it down. They seem to have such a good time with it and it does seem to help bond them to me. I can easily pick up all my chickens, regardless of breed.

 

[12henfun]

we left our two weeks old with a house sitter for a week to go on vacation- now they hate being held even more than before!

 

[koakritters]

mine are 6 days old and i've been laying on the bed with a towel and having them right next to me, at first they don't want anything to do with being by me, but eventually they get cold enough to come to the warmest thing = me!! they curled up under my chin and neck while i was lying sideways earlier and then they were climbing all over me.

my first 2 i had got as babies slept on the bed with me at night doing this exact same thing! lol. they still don't like the being picked up part but once they're out they are really cuddly now.

 

[Greendecember]

Quote:
Its not too late! Make a little temporary 'play' pen out of something; extra wire what ever. Sit inside the pen with them so that you are in their space. Hold a treat like a little mashed up boiled egg in your lap and let the chicks climb on you to get their treat. Even if they think you are the devil incarnate, they will get on you to get the treat! The kids can do this, too; they just need to take turns. No more than one human at a time in their space. After they've finished their treat, keep your hands at ground level, palm up when you slowly move and pet them on their tummies. Don't try to pick them up the first few times so they know only good things come from you. Some will end up more tame than others, but that's ok. After all, how many grown chickens do you want on your lap at a time...

After reading this thread I found out that it's certainly not too late

Mine are 2 weeks old and yesterday I put a sheet in the bathroom and took some warm mush and the babies in there and within 10 minutes they were sleeping on me. One fell off and cheeped until I took her back up!

2 good posts

Very true. I don't have enough lap for 30 grown hens and I gotts a lot of lap! LOL I would like them to like me though. Knowing some will tame more than others is a good reminder

DUH! The bathroom!

Thanks. Sometimes my creative, outside the box thinking makes simple things beyond me.

I was trying to figure out where I could contain them, fit them and me, and not care if they pooped all over the floor there LOL