As do most others, I bribe my chickens with treats, mainly mealworms which they seem to love. I began by hand feeding them grit for the first two weeks, then gave them mealworms. I make it a point to hand feed something at least once a day. I either sit next to the brooder or in the run, place my hand on the ground while calling them to me, and just wait until they come. Eventually a brave one, usually the ancona, will approach and the rest will follow. Some will eat the food, others will peck my hand and arms, others will walk on my arm and try to fly up to my shoulder. Today I just sat in the run watching them with my arms crossed over my legs, and three minorcas and an andalusian perched on my arms and dozed for a while. I find that after the inital spook and run for the corners, with the exception of the hamburgs and the leghorns who are extremely skittish, the rest will treat me like another piece of debris--a block of wood or a tree branch--scattered around the run and walk on me, peck me, and yes sometimes poop on me as well.
