Mean Chickens

[CammieSilkie]

I have a flock of nine. -
:Four 12-week-olds who don't run away or care when i pick them up (probably because of the age)
:Two 2-year olds (the last of my original/first flock of eight)
:One 1-year old, Boots (whose three buddies whom she had grown up with were both brutally devoured by a fisher cat)
: One 8-month old, Pit (who adopted some bad habits from my one year old, Boots.)
: One 1-year old rooster, Shnitzel

Boots, the one year old hen, is so easily started if you whistle out the window/ out of sight she will run and hide. if you hold her she becomes so traumatized she falls over and looks dead.. that is, if you can catch her before she gives herself a heart attack. If I even go near her she runs for miles and doesn't come home for days!! This is all trauma from her friends being horribly taken by a fox when she was around 15 weeks old. And Pit, the 8 month old, was raised such a sweetie but Boots, being the closest one in age to her, has really rubbed off on her.


As for Shnitzel, i didn't raise him. i adopted him. I know roosters are naturally unfriendly sometimes but he is quite scared of me, is there anything i can do to help my chickens want to socialize with me?

 

[real_redhead]

You may have already tried this but does she like any special treats like BOSS or something else? I had a dog attack and the dog killed 3 immediately, one was severely injured (put to sleep) and one survived. The one who survived was traumatized for several weeks, wouldn't go in the coop, every time my neighbor brings her dogs out (she takes them out on a leash) and Nutmeg hears them and goes crazy. She didn't want to come to us or be held/picked up. I started giving her BOSS which is her favorite, first sprinkling it on the ground then holding it our to her in the cup then my hand. When she hears the cup shaking she comes running. I kept trying until I could hand feed her and could handle her. Good luck!

 

[bj taylor]

i hope you can make progess. i too had an attack. my chickens have taken a very long time to mentally recover. they are about as recovered as they will be - but they are not the same sweet, trusting birds they were before the attack.

 

[CammieSilkie]

Whats BOSS? and I'm sorry to hear about your chickens.

 

[n8ivetxn]

I spend time out in the yard, sitting in my fold-out chair, reading a book/magazine and handing out treats. When I come out and sit down, they'll make their way to me and before long they're all around my feet, talking to me and pecking at my shoes

However, they still don't like to be picked up - except for the Salmon Faverolles, they don't mind....

 

[mmktdox]

BOSS = black oil sunflower seeds. I have five chickens, three raised from day olds, the other two I purchased ready to lay. At first they were all skittish, even the ones I hand raised. But BOSS has them running to me every day now. They don't like to be picked up but they'll eat out of my hand and they come when I call.