How to make chickens friendly/tame and how long?

[Chickassan]

Chicken bites are waaaay less painful than a cockatoo, if you were gauging by that no wonder you were cautious.

Ahaaa! Thanks! I'm used to my cockatoo trying to "eat" me and he would have caused major damage so I could only handle him with welder gloves - which he hated any gloves haha I watch how hard the ladies peck down and figured nope not going there

 

[SpazzWhoElse]

Chicken bites are waaaay less painful than a cockatoo, if you were gauging by that no wonder you were cautious.

Mmhmmm! Lol

 

[noregerts]

I'm assuming you have them in a safe run? I used a tip I learned on here to get my girls to go into the coop in the evening, from the run. Try putting a light of some kind in the coop just before it starts to get dusky. A big flashlight should do the trick. When it's dark outside but bright inside, they will go in. It only took a couple of days before mine understood.

 

[Mrs. K]

Don't pick them up. Scares the bejabbers out of them, especially if they are flighty. Don't touch them at all. If you have to handle them, get them off the roost in the dark. Chickens on a dark roost are nearly in a hypnotic state. Much easier to handle for both person and bird and they won't remember you in a panic the next day.

Keep sitting, moving slow. Throw down some feed a bit away from the chair, let them start on it, and then go and sit on the chair and wait. They will slowly come forward. Each day put it a bit closer to the chair. And eventually they won't even notice when you sit down. At this time, moving slowly, you can reach out an touch them. If they squawk and run away - you are rushing it. Next time just reach your hand out, and don't touch them.

Some birds are more flighty than others. I love to watch mine, but I really found that I didn't need to hold them or have them in my lap. Each of us is different. But if you keep moving slow, and let them approach you on their terms, it will help and in less than two weeks.

Mrs K

 

[sweetwatermountain]

Live mealworms added to your routine should make you the chicken king in no time. You are doing everything right, you just need to improve your snacks.

Hmm...I've seen the mealworm snacks at the Ag store but not the live ones..I will have to ask!

 

[sweetwatermountain]

I'm assuming you have them in a safe run? I used a tip I learned on here to get my girls to go into the coop in the evening, from the run. Try putting a light of some kind in the coop just before it starts to get dusky. A big flashlight should do the trick. When it's dark outside but bright inside, they will go in. It only took a couple of days before mine understood.

Definitely going to try this!

 

[sweetwatermountain]

Don't pick them up. Scares the bejabbers out of them, especially if they are flighty. Don't touch them at all. If you have to handle them, get them off the roost in the dark. Chickens on a dark roost are nearly in a hypnotic state. Much easier to handle for both person and bird and they won't remember you in a panic the next day.

Keep sitting, moving slow. Throw down some feed a bit away from the chair, let them start on it, and then go and sit on the chair and wait. They will slowly come forward. Each day put it a bit closer to the chair. And eventually they won't even notice when you sit down. At this time, moving slowly, you can reach out an touch them. If they squawk and run away - you are rushing it. Next time just reach your hand out, and don't touch them.

Some birds are more flighty than others. I love to watch mine, but I really found that I didn't need to hold them or have them in my lap. Each of us is different. But if you keep moving slow, and let them approach you on their terms, it will help and in less than two weeks.

Mrs K

Thank you, this is so helpful!! Everyone on other threads says be patient...but I'm not a very patient person so the idea that I will do this and hopefully see results in 2 weeks helps! Even today they got a littleeeee bit closer to me so I think they will get there. Do you have any tips for putting them from the run to the coop without picking them up or scaring them? I'm going to try the flashlight tip from @noregerts but any other ideas are appreciated as well!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Sounds like you're doing pretty well actually. It does require patience, and since the birds haven't been handled much, you can imagine how scary a human must seem to them. Also your birds are getting closer to the age where running away is the reaction to everything. I bet by the time these birds are laying, they'll be happy to follow you around at your feet.

As far as putting them in at night, I would just pick them up quickly and put them in. How you approach them might make a difference though. If possible, crouch down and slowly reach out to pick them up, rather than bending down from above, as that feels more threatening to them.

And if you don't like the feeling of them pecking your hand but still want to hand feed them sometimes, just wear gloves. The chickens won't be bothered by the gloves once they see them enough times.

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

I bought a bag of mealie worms and crickets, call "treats" and they line up like a pack of raptors. LOL

 

[AJKinville]

O

You are doing everything right so far.
They are young and it sounds like they have not had much human contact so far.
I sit out in my coop with my girls every so often and see who will eat from my hand. the ones that wont are really envious of the ones that do and are getting closer each time.
Move slowly, talk gently and bring something each time you come so they associate your visits with "something good is about to happen"
Good luck! And welcome to the backyard!

Wait - they can eat from your hand? Lol I'm afraid they'll "bite " me or peck to hard hmmm

Mine didn’t bite except when over excited when little and the pecking feels funny not painful! Now they are two months and it’s not as bad as you’d think I just push the constant biter back and do a little pecking order of my own when they get out of line with their treats! I tapped the eggs in my hand. I also made them just wet oatmeal. You wet it and dump out extra water so they stay kind of single pay like.
I just help my hand out made the treat sound and tapped my hand and held it very still! Some are that way right away and my other two sets only learned from my first 3 which was PBR and 2 buff Orpingtons the 3 are sssooooo sweet! Although my PBR is definitely a toddler wanting to do everything herself never wanting mommy’s “help” or loves when she’s scared or hurt as often. I hear when she begins to lay I’ll have my sweet girls back! I have 10 2 buff Orpingtons, 1 PBR, Cinnamon Queen(king), RIR(imitation maybe) and an EE she’s wheaten with slate legs(Americana) and then they discounted my last 4 buy one get one half off lol got 2 Barnevelders, and 2 Speckled Sussex! So from what I can see right now I have 4 Roos and 6 hens from straight run flicks and I’ve never even sexed a chick a day in my life they say 50/50 if good I like 60/40 for first time odds!
Now they all happily eat from my hand because my 7 1/2 wk old ones are!