I think my chicks hate me and my yogurt!

[Rustic Chicken]

My chicks are now just over two weeks old. They still run from me like scared chickens (oh, that's right hey are chickens

) and protest when I hold them. I have also tried to give them yogurt on two separate occasions and they have zero interest. Is this normal?

 

[Lesa]

Yup! They just don't think we are as cute, as we think they are!!! Mine didn't really start liking me until they were already in the coop and I gave them mealworms. After that, it was LOVE! Don't worry- they will soon realize you are the food God!

 

[4 luv of eggs]

Completely normal at this age. They'll soon figure out that you are the one who feeds and waters them and that you mean them no harm. Just be patient and gentle.

 

[noodleroo]

You might try my method of taming on my page. Good luck with it all....

 

[casumm]

I could have written this too! My girls are two weeks today. Yogurt is treated like the "thing from the black lagoon." Scrambled eggs and smashed blueberries... forget it. You'd think my little plate contained the Devil himself. Oh the running and cowering!!!

Three of our four chicks will tolerate being handled but only after they've had a chance to escape the brooder and run around our porch to stretch a bit. Rita, our white EE, screams like I'm going to dip her in hot oil Every Single Time.

And I handle them everyday (using noodleroos technique, of course).

I'm wondering if it is a bit of a phase. Like teenagers who want to be dropped off at the corner, but in chicken form. Mine settle down if I sit down on the floor with them and just be still while they run around and explore. I let them out for a romp after I put the Rooster (aka my 3 year old) to bed. After a bit, they'll come over and hang out with me, check out a freckle, attempt to pluck a stray hair I missed when shaving. (That is, except for Rita... she's so pretty. She'll get by just on her looks.)

I bet if you just keep trying, they'll happy up a bit. That's my theory at least. They dance along the edge of the brooder when I come out, so they can't hate me entirely, right?!?

Hang in there. Enjoy them!

-chris

 

[Rustic Chicken]

Chris - You had me laughing hysterically! Do you let your chicks out of the brooder? I am such an overprotective mother that I am afraid to let them out for fear that they will get cold, or run off never to be caught again. I think we may need to build an outdoor pen this weekend for them to play in and that is large enough for me to sit in. Any advice?

Thanks again for the chuckle. So glad I'm not the only one going through the growing pains.

 

[gryeyes]

Just like Chris, I have found that if I'm sitting in the Nursery (aka: bathroom) quietly near the brooder, my chicks get far more interested than frightened. Two of the four will jump to the edge of the brooder and sidle back and forth, leaning towards me. They're still a little jumpy if I reach for 'em.

Last night, my Delaware chick jumped FROM the brooder edge to my knees!

But I've also learned that sliding my hand under their bodies to put their legs between my fingers is the best way to pick them up without scaring them half to death.

Oh, and yoghurt? No way. Ick. That's killer stuff, almost as bad as the rampaging monster peas I tried to give them. They will, however, eat shredded mozzarella cheese.

 

[casumm]

Jennifer -- glad I could make you feel like you're not alone! I do let them out but our porch is screened in (with an easily swept of poo floor) so they haven't been "outside" outside yet. I was also thinking I'd rig up something to let them get some nature this weekend. Not sure what that'll be yet. They will have to be properly protected from our kitten Hobbes (aka "Terror of all things winged and woodland"). I'm thinking of taking the bottom out of an old Dog Crate and putting them in there for a bit. (I'd only have them out while we were out though.)

No worries about the temp anymore for us. I stopped turning on their heat lamp during the day earlier this week. It's stinking HOT here.

If you come up with a good playpen idea, I'd love to hear about it!

-chris

 

[PetRock]

My 12 week old chickens didn't like yogurt when I first gave it to them at 3-4 weeks. I started mixing their chick feed in with the yogurt and adding some diced tomatoes which they loved. Initially, they picked out the tomatoes and barely picked at the yogurt/chick food mix. I just left the treat bowl in the brooder and eventually they picked it clean. Now they love the yogurt as much as whatever fruit treat I put in there with it.

 

[Rustic Chicken]

I think we are going to try to make something like this with PVC piping, plastic netting and zip ties. We are thinking that we will make it large enough so that we can also let the girls out of their pens when they are fully grown to graze on different parts of the lawn. I'll let you know how it goes and post pics.

http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog...-for-Chickens-Mobile-Pen-8-chickens-p673.aspx