I'm a flipping awesome chickie mom, but they don't care!

[AnaD]

All I do is feed them and give them treats, but everytime I reach into the brooding box they act as if I'm going to wring their necks. I talk sweetly to them and let them out in the sun on warms day....I'm a gosh darn nice person! Granted I've only had them a week and they were two weeks when I got them, but dang, how long does it take before they stop fearing my motives!? I don't even want to pick them up because when I do they start squawking bloody murder when and I'd hate it if I gave them a heart attack.
I just don't know how to endear myself to them!
PLEASE LOVE ME!!! (being somewhat facetious)
lol

 

[Heckel's Hens]

Oh they will love you....trust me.

Mine all started that way, and now they come to the sound of my voice. LOL It doesn't take long for them to figure our who feeds them!

 

[Jess N Jeff]

All of my baby chickies have done this. Don't stress!!!!!

When they get a little older and realize that you are the one with the yummies it will all change, then you will be wishing they will leave you alone. I walk into my coop and get mobbed by chickens thinking I have treats for them.

 

[turkeymom]

I agree, give it time. 3-4 weeks seems to be when they're the least grateful.
Another thing that helps is if they can see you more. I know our brooder blocks out everything in their sightline, so they don't really see what we look like except this looming hand overhead (which probably reminds them of a hawk or other predator).
Once they're out and eating bread, you should have chicks all over you! In the meantime, as much as you have time, make them eat our of your hand. Eventually they'll see your hand as a source of food.

 

[ARose4Heaven]

Oh Yeah...it will get better. It better get better! This morning, I stuck my hand in the booder and somebody bit me! They are just like people kids...no respect!

My big girls mob me when I go to the hen house. I trust these tiny little dinosaurs will turn out just fine. If they live that long. LOL

Love my peeps! They just haven't learned the rules yet.

 

[M@M@2four]

Try letting them out on the floor to explore. You have to understand it from their perspective. They're all cozy in their brooder box and a foreign hand reaches in at them to pick them up, it freaks them out. And when one panics, they all do. I would let them out(a few at a time), sit on the floor and let them walk around you. Also, try dipping your finger in their waterer and then dip it in chick feed. The feed will stick...then hold your finger with the feed out to them. They will gladly clean it off your hand. This will help them bond as well as get used to your hand. No fear...they will come around!!!

Good luck!!!

 

[HEChicken]

This sounds like typical chicks. The only exception I've found to this is the ones I have in the brooder right now. They are the result of my first try at incubating and are the only ones that don't seem terrified of me. When I reach into the brooder, not only do they not run away squawking, but they seem curious to come up and will even hop onto my hand. I haven't done anything different with them than with previous chicks, and I've had them as early as day-old before so they only thing I can think of that is different is that the first time they saw a hand reaching in for them it was to rescue them from the incubator and set them down under the heat lamp in the brooder. Could be they imprinted that quickly?

 

[sheila3935]

When the chicks are young and in the brooder we are the big scary monsters. When they get older they will love you. By the time my roos were 8 weeks old they would sit on my shoulder or on top of my head. Cant tell you how many times I got poo'd on.

Right now I have 4 week old bantam cochins and 3 week old ducklings. The cochins are starting to come around but the duckies scream evertime I even think about reaching into the brooder.

 

[Egg Rookie 2010]

Oh I feel so much better. I was thinking the same thing this morning. Poor me...my babies dont like me!

 

[AnaD]

Quote:

*sniffle*
Although I do feel a wee bit better. I sat in their pen with them outside and all three ate worms from my hand and walked up close and around me. I just need to get right into their world and interact with them.