How to raise friendly chicks?

[mustangrooster]

I find that chicks in the teenage stage can go from loving cuddles to "Nope, I don't want anything to do with you".

Especially if you haven't hatched them yourself. It takes time, lots of time for them to become tame and earn their trust if you're not the one who hatched them. It might take longer since you have been chasing them.

Don't chase them. Don't let any one chase them. Chickens run from predators. You're a threat to the chickens if you are chasing them.

Spend lots of time with them. Sit by them. Don't make sudden moves or grab a chicken if it comes to check you out. Offer treats. Talk to them. Gradually, they will come around.

Also, don't grab them and hold them forcefully if they are squawking and flapping. That also creates trust issues. Give them time, trust me, silkies are friendly chickens. But all chickens do have different personalities.

 

[FlyWheel]

I have a Production Red, a Cuckoo Marans, Black Australorp and seven Easter Eggers. All my chickens have been raised the same way, offering them treats from my hand and stroking them when they let me, and they all turned out different. None grew up mean (except the roos), but their people-friendliness varies from won't-let-you-get-within-four-feet (Robin), to walks-right-up-and-squats-at-your-feet-until-you-pet-her (ObLiDa).

Of the rest, some will allow you to pet them, if they're in the mood, or you have treats, others will allow you to approach but not touch.

 

[Butterflygirl50]

Some were hatched. Others two day old chicks from Purely Poultry.

We've had them pretty much since the beginning of life.

Barbara

 

[mustangrooster]

Hmm.

Wait for adult hood, most chickens will calm down and go back to being human-friendly if they were as a chick.

 

[kayceb]

I think (in a way) chickens all have their own unique personality like people, dogs, cats, etc. I also think some chicken breeds tend to be more friendly than others such as Silkies. My cuckoo Silkie rooster, Kookamunga, is pretty friendly. He comes to me when called, will let me scratch his back, and pick him up although he doesn't quite enjoy it much. My buff Orpington hen, Francesca, will not tolerate pettings or holding but will squat when I approach her allowing me to pick her up if need be such as nail trimming. She also eats treats out of my hands and will occasionally follow me. I think generally speaking, chickens don't really like to be handled much. They like treats, talking to, following you around but that's about it. I know there are the occasional chickens who do enjoy cuddles but it's far and few in between.

You have to trim chickens nails?? I had no idea!

 

[centrarchid]

Hi. I only try to pick them up once a day. I've gone through many bags of meal worms but they have not worked in getting them closer than about four feet away.

I eventually just leave some in a pile and walk away. As I'm walking away they attack them lol.

Even with the kids they were friendly as chicks, but ever since they turned about five to six weeks they don't want human interaction.

I went in the coop at 7:30 tonight to close the windows as is going to pour and my mom asked what happened in the coop due to the loud noises the chicks were making.

I wasn't even near them.

I just don't get it. I'll give it another month but I bought Silkies because they were family friendly. My kids can't interact with them without getting scratched up.

I have thought to get more chicks but am afraid when the time comes too add them to the flock these girls will hurt them.

Just sad right now at the way things are going.

I work with taming chickens a lot. A few are tamed and trained to the point where even when taken to public events they well come to me or whomever calls, even with people the chickens do not know. This pattern even holds during the teenager weeks (juvenile stage). The balance of my birds are tame enough to allow handling on almost a daily basis.

When something they do not like and is associated with me occurs, they get wary. I am confident that is occurring on your end. For some reason the silkies regard you as a threat. The grabbing, possibly chasing, direct gaze, looking down on them, and touching them from above can all be taken as acts of aggression by chickens. I avoid doing those things when practical.

My suggestion is find a way to sit down quietly at their level and do something that does not center your attention on the chickens. I read a books, work at computer, or have a pair of binoculars out to observe wildlife. Then have a container of LIVE meal worms. After birds get used to seeing you sitting quitly, occasionally toss out A single meal worm close enough so the birds can see it and feel comfortable going after it. After repeating a few times the birds will start to approach you timidly. Make them come closer over time to get the meal worms. They will figure out when you are getting the meal worms out of the can and get excited. It is will not take long before they will take the meal worms from your hand. Then you work on getting them to get up on your leg. You may want to wear jeans for that part. Then start working on getting them to jump up into your hand.

USE LIVE MEAL WORMS DURING START OF THIS. Make certain someone is not tormenting birds when your are not watching. I have seen the tormenting problem mess up taming / training efforts.

See videos of how I like tamed birds to approach. My birds fly a lot but that is not essential for what you want yours to do. Also most of mine are games. The same crowd that think silkies are very tame also think games are flighty.

 

[User395221]

I eventually just leave some in a pile and walk away. As I'm walking away they attack them lol.

To train any animal to do anything, you need to figure out what behaviour you want, and then how to get it. Breaking it down into small "victories" works, as centrarchid says. You reward for coming nearer, then build up to taking the treat from you, etc.

If you put the treats down, they're learning that if they keep their distance and wait long enough, they get a pile of treats.

With birds, you can't "make them" do stuff in the same way as you can with dogs. You need to let them do it, and then reinforce it with rewards. Follow centrarchid's advice, break it down and give it some time. You can train them, you just need to use the right method. As people, we think, here I am, I've got a handful of lovely treats, why aren't they running over here? As birds, they are thinking, I could be eaten or killed at any moment and there's this GIANT staring at us and gesticulating for some reason. She's scary, let's be safe and stay away. After a while she'll leave us a pile of treats and then go away.

It does take time and effort. If you really want tame birds, that's what it'll take. Or, you can admire them from afar. Chuck them some salad or scratch in their run and watch them enjoy it. I'm happy with watching them maraud around, being chickens (but I've got my dogs and cats to inflict cuddles on ) I can pick them up, but I don't insist on it as I know they don't really like it that much.

 

[centrarchid]

I have to start training a couple early juveniles (about 5 weeks old) from almost scratch. These will replace Peck. A hawk snatched Peck that was from same brood. Procedure the same as that needed to re-tame the silkies. I will document. I already have them to point where they do not run in total panic but they will not allow me to pick them up. Before is it done the new Peck will come to me only when called and fly to hand, possibly from some distance.

 

[FlyWheel]

"Then have a container of LIVE meal worms. After birds get used to seeing you sitting quitly, occasionally toss out A single meal worm close enough so the birds can see it and feel comfortable going after it. After repeating a few times the birds will start to approach you timidly. Make them come closer over time to get the meal worms. They will figure out when you are getting the meal worms out of the can and get excited. It is will not take long before they will take the meal worms from your hand."
Yeah. Right. I just pick up the bag of mealworms and I'm instantly mobbed by all ten birds, even the really shy ones like Robin!

 

[centrarchid]

I pulled a cockerel from pen and took him work in my office. Floor bare concrete. Transport was in cab of truck. He avoided contact when he could, especially when time to get out and go into building. To "grab" him, I gently cornered him while looking away, cupped one hand under him to pick him up by breast with my fingers between his legs.

The following hour.
He was released onto floor of office where he began to explore. A couple times I tossed a mealworm down in front of him saying "Peck" as I do it and until the meal worm is consumed. Then as I typed he started to explore closer to me. Meal worm offerings repeated a few more times every few minutes. Then he jumped up onto desk and then onto me and keyboard pecking aggressively. He was very rude for the following 15 minutes before settling down. Then meal worm offerings resumed. He also partook in a Apple Pecan Salad from Wendy's where he consumed some greens and a little cheese. Meal worms still his interest.

Once he got confidence need to explore me directly for food he would then perch on finger for a photograph.

His current weight is 271.4 g. He already sits tight. He like, like his brother, is perfect serving size for female Coopers Hawk working barn normally for sparrows and mice.

After photo session he now follows me through lab so long as I walk slowly. He also found the meal worm culture used for feeding brood fish. He has not been allowed into it but clearly wants in. He must be thinking he found the mother load.