How to make chickens friendly/tame and how long?

[Mrs. K]

Are they huddling together on the floor of the run, and not going up a ramp to an elevated coop? Then I would just put a box on its side in the run. Go down after dark, they should be huddled in the box. Pick up box and all and place the box in the coop. They will figure it out.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

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

It feels kind of good, LOL!

 

[Roo5]

Unpopular opinion, when any bird is over the age of three months,I personally think it’s “almost “impossible to get a truly untamed chicken out of its way,whether it’s extremely skittish or just down right aggressive.However I’m not saying it’s completely impossible as I’ve attempted to rehabilitate to pullets that I pick up from sales.The closet I get,is to them coming when called and occasionally to walk a few feet past me, and that took up to about three weeks, and it was only successful to one.On occasion I have had super flighty birds just wake up one day an decide to warm up to me, that was a one time thing.
Best advice I can give is be patient, something I can’t do.If the bird doesn’t come friendly or I didn’t raise it as a chick,I don’t waste my time taming it, it’ll just be for egg purposes.I would offer treats and get them use to being around your area and space before trying anything else,and once your successful with that you may try hand feeding.And then just slowly try petting the birds and then picking them up,Basically baby steps.Honestly if I were you,I woulda just got baby chicks.
If the birds were originally friendly,that typically just means they need time to warm up to their new owner, my birds would actually run from strangers.

 

[sweetwatermountain]

@Mrs. K Yea that’s exactly what’s happening! I will try the box trick!

@Roo5 mine are only 6 weeks. I wouldn’t call them mean, just scared. I’m also not very patient so it’s tough! But I’m a first time chicken owner and We wanted to start with pullets ready for the coop because the thought of getting all the equipment and raising chicks was stressing me out. Maybe next year once I’ve gotten down the chicken basics!

 

[Roo5]

Six weeks is a great way to start too, should be easy to get them to calm down.

 

[AngieMaesChix]

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

You have a Cockatoo and worried about a hen peck jk I used to have a goffin and a umbrella sadly my goffin passed and my umbrella was stolen

 

[Chickassan]

You are a strange individual.

It feels kind of good, LOL!

 

[SpazzWhoElse]

You have a Cockatoo and worried about a hen peck jk I used to have a goffin and a umbrella sadly my goffin passed and my umbrella was stolen

Lol! My Houdini was a Goffin too, sadly he passed away last year.. miss him so much.

 

[sweetwatermountain]

Update: The birds are warming up to me more and more each day. Mealworms really helped, they will eat them right out of my hand. Thank you all so much for the tips!

 

[Ribh]

Update: The birds are warming up to me more and more each day. Mealworms really helped, they will eat them right out of my hand. Thank you all so much for the tips!

Yep. Treats are the way to any chicken heart!