How to raise friendly chicks?

[JudysMuscovy]

I have to agree with just spending time with them and getting on their level really works, all of mine come running to the gate when they hear me coming from the house! They are always under foot, which that is the alternative, either they run from you or they are right at your feet! I can pick up most of mine but only do so if I need to check them over.

 

[EggMan1991]

Personally hatched chicks are the best, but it all comes down to personality. Some will be as tame as dogs, and they'll have their tempers and such. Then you'll have some that don't like human interaction whatsoever, even if you hand fed them from birth and spend countless hours with them to get them comfortable.

I've found that Roos are hit or miss, and it heavily depends on the breed. Hens will mostly be tame this way, but some are so timid that they almost seem wild. It really all comes down to the breed of chicken and the personality it was born with.

 

[User395221]

Ah not mine.

As centrarchid said, the secret is to relax and not to force anything, or even think about forcing anything. Have you ever had anything to do with horses? You need to completely forget/not think about patting them or touching them or doing anything. When you stop "trying" they will stop being so scared of you. Interestingly, I had just mulched some plants yesterday afternoon, and the girls came over thinking I'd spread it for their entertainment. I got quite "no! no!" and tried to pick them up to put them in their run. They ran away from me. My anxiety about them messing with my mulch transmitted itself to them and they thought, "no way, get lost!" They could tell I was a bit annoyed.
If you are intent on having a chook to cuddle, they will run away. They don't have any concept of us being "nice" and offering cuddles as a nice thing. They just know somebody wants to grab them. You need to take it slowly and never ever force it on them. Even now, I'll pat a bird and talk to her and let her stand there for a bit before I go to pick her up. If she walks off, she doesn't get picked up. If you let them be when they want to be let be, they're more likely not to freak out when you do want to pick them up or say hello and pet them.
It's hard to describe if you haven't worked with skittish animals before.
Do just sit there and IGNORE them all. Read a book. Sing a song, just be there so they get used to you. Then work up to putting treats at your feet, then a pat. Take it slowly and take it easy. Be prepared to let it go if the girls want to walk away from you. It can take time. And patience.

 

[twilightgecko]

the more time you spend with them, the friendlier they become.. i truly enjoy the company of my hens.. i often just sit on the bottom step of my porch and talk to my girls.. treats never hurt..

 

[Patinas]

As centrarchid said, the secret is to relax and not to force anything, or even think about forcing anything. Have you ever had anything to do with horses? You need to completely forget/not think about patting them or touching them or doing anything. When you stop "trying" they will stop being so scared of you.

I have to agree with this approach when you have lots of chickens. I bought all my chicks this spring over a 3 week period and currently have a flock of 20. There was no way I could hold and tame them all so I just didn't even try.

Out of the 20, about 7 are now very friendly and want to be around me. My thought process was to just take good care of them and since trying to pet or pick them up terrified them early on, I just started ignoring them. Eventually, when they were allowed out to free range, is when some of them started to warm up to me.

It's now to the point that the friendly ones actually pester me to interact with them. When I'm sitting out on the patio, they will scare the heck out of me by jumping up on the back of the chair and start chattering. A few of them will climb in my lap and just sit with me or stand on my lap and use me like vantage point to survey the landscape.

Amazingly, just yesterday, one of the lowest hens in the pecking order and one that has never let me get within 6 feet of her, jumped in my lap. Blew my mind!! I think she finally got over her fear of me by seeing the other ones jumping up and sitting on my lap and chattering away.

I've come to the conclusion that just ignoring them gives them time to work through their fear issues and since I'm not forcing myself on them by grabbing or chasing them, they must no longer consider me a threat and probably they view me as more of a curiosity, not to mention the provider of yummy treats!

Maybe at some point, and given enough time, they will all eventually come around and become friendlier. But then again, I'm not sure I want 20 chickens hanging with me when I'm relaxing on the patio because I actually don't want them on the patio!

 

[User395221]

When I'm sitting out on the patio,

Sitting, and relaxing. They then perceive no threat at all. You are lower, not towering over them as we do when we are standing, you are not moving so you can't be chasing them and your mind is on your cup of tea (or whatever) and not on gearing up to grab them or do anything to them.

If we put ourselves in their position, it makes sense. Suppose some person is staring at us, it makes us uncomfortable. Even when they aren't doing anything in particular, just that level of focus can affect the one being stared at. Then we are hugely bigger than a chook, imagine a GIANT was staring at us. It's a wonder any of them lets us be their friend up close.

 

[Chickassan]

Best advice ever, you really do just have to sit down and relax with the chickens. If you can make it part of the daily routine that's even better. I sit and have my coffee and one of the three cloves I allow myself every morning with the chickens after I dole out their breakfast. Didn't do squat at first, but now I've got pullets in my lap trying to sneak a sip of black death and trying to steal my little vice.

 

[User395221]

you really do just have to sit down and relax with the chickens.

There's that poem thing, if you love them set them free, if they come back blah blah something something. (you know the one). If you leave them be and let them do it, they'll investigate you, eventually (when they've worked their way around all the good bug spots)

 

[Butterflygirl50]

Today was the first day the chicks were able to stay out for the day as it wasn't too hot and I finished enclosing the yard.
I was shocked at how friendly they were outside. We sat down and were able to hold them and even feed them corn.
I think they feel trapped when we walk in the coop.

 

[User395221]

I think they feel trapped when we walk in the coop.

Yes, nowhere to run! It would make them fearful for sure. I'm so pleased you've made the discovery as to why they were "rejecting" you and progressed. Yay! Welcome to the world of chicken cuddles.