I have little chicken stalkers! They won't let me pick em up!

[Mycookoonest]

So no matter where I am or what I'm doing, my chickens will run toward the run door if they hear me. I've been inside and if they hear me they ALL come running especially if I call my Roo Robin. He's so obsessed he will be the ONLY chicken following me around and not really pay attention to his ladies the entire time I'm out in the run!

They are 11 weeks old and still follow me I can't get over it... but when i go into their run they won't let me pick them up. I have to chase em down except for Robin!

So I guess my question is... how do I get them to let me pick them up without having to chase them down? Or are chickens just normally little stalkers!?!?

 

[paul65]

hand feed them i have a slw that everytime i go out an she see me with something if i sit down she jumps on my lap for a treat i can pet her even rub her comb the others come close but she is the only one that lets me rub her comb if i wanted i could grab any of them when im setting down and they come close.

 

[lilchick]

I sit down on ground in my chicken's pen and wait for them to come to me. It doesn't take long and when one sits on me the others will too!
It is instinct that makes them run when you go after them....
I have found certain breeds are friendlier than others.

 

[mozee68]

I am not sure about Paul65's answer I tried that and now everytime anybody is outside or someone comes over the mooches come running! All they want is treats. And if the smaller kids are outside with food they will steal it from them. Last week Foghorn filched a chocolate bar from my 3 year old and I thought he was going to die. I was told it would kill him. And I still have to chase them to pick them up.

 

[kinnip]

I have to chase some of mine to pick them up, but once it's done they settle down really quickly. I find the more often I pick them up, the easier it gets. Some of mine have never liked being held, so I let them be mostly. There are a few who've formed the habit of sitting on me. I'm not really sure how that came about, they just do it.
Right now I'm having shoulder wars. I have one older pullet who's used to riding. When the younger pullets try to hop on me, she comes running from across the run to jump on me and stage a brawl.

My big cockerel is also a bit jealous, but not of the other chickens. He doesn't like me getting friendly with his ladies, guess he's afraid I'll teach them to be uppity like me. Every time I put one of his girls back on the ground, he grabs them and tosses them around like an angry pimp, at which point he gets picked up. Unfortunately, it's done nothing to encourage chicken-human cuddling.
I'm sure treats helped, but I don't generally hand feed them anymore, their beaks hurt. It just seems to be a matter of establishing a habit. Same place, same times, same interaction. It helps to start while they're young.