To answer the original question, how do you raise baby chicks not to be skittish? It comes down to how you handle them.
Baby chicks have an instinct to fear being preyed on from above. They react to anything, including your hand thrusting downward towards them, as an attack, and their instinct is to flee.
What you need to do is to access them from the side and not from up above. It helps to slowly slide your hand across the brooder bottom towards their little feet until you touch them, then wait and let the chick decide to climb onto your hand.
In no time at all, your chicks will enjoy being handled and won't fear the sight of your hand. Continued careful handling as the chicks develop will injure trusting and calm chickens that won't feel they need to flee when you approach.
