My chickens hate me!

[quackingdom]

Here's a few more tips on taming them, although you've already gotten some great ones.

First, remember that you are pretty much a Tyrannosaurus Rex to them.

You could try sitting in their pen doing nothing so they learn that your presence does not automatically equal something unpleasant like being chased and handled. I sometimes read a book in my ducks' pen.

Mealworms are great. If they don't immediately take it from your hand, you can toss it at first. Eventually they'll get bold enough to crane their neck out as far as it goes and snatch one straight out of your hand. (EDIT: well, actually it sounds like yours are already tame enough to do that!) BTW, I have one girl that is so spoiled that she REFUSES mealworms. She'll only eat the big juicy things like crickets and what we call “superworms,” which are about 1-2 inches long. One of my ducks' favorite treats is watermelon. Every single duck I've ever had loves watermelon. If you have time, you can also handfeed their regular meals.

Also, while all of my ducks do eat out of my hand, many are still nearly impossible to catch if I don't have a treat. Many just don't like being touched or picked up, even though they're not afraid of me.

 

[Chickassan]

Ahhh I love them! Their coloring is just !! How old is he here?

This was taken maybe a week ago so everybody is almost four months.I was happy with their color myself although they could be purple and id still like them.No crowing attempts out of Negan yet which suprises the heck out of me.

 

[SpaghettiJo]

At first my girls were terrified of being held. We would have to corner them and scare them to death in order to pick them up.
One thing I would do in order to try and get them to warm up to me was just sit out with them and let them come up to me - I wouldn't even move - that way they didn't get spooked. I did that for a few days and then I would go out with a treat in hand and let them eat it. Eventually, I was able to pick them up and sit them on my lap - not holding onto them. They would stay for a few seconds and them hop down.. And then after while of doing that, they would let me pick them up and carry them. And now my chickens come running to me when I come to see them. (even if i don't have treats with me )

 

[funkychickenmom]

Hey that's a great tip!!! Maybe I'll sneak some mealworms around while I scratch the ground so they'll be too preoccupied to worry about me. And slowly work my way to offering them from my hand.

Yes that would be a good way to improve my method lol but I'm the crazy woman who sits in the yard talking to her chickens ... but hey lol my chickens love me ... I think

 

[User395221]

it's just how they act if I approach them that's the problem.

The answer is not to approach them. Work on getting them to approach YOU by offering food rewards, your version of "it's all good, girls" phrase/song (it can be anything) and lots of calm so you don't mess it up and scare them off. After they'll come to you, you'll be able to move more freely and they won't freak out or won't freak out as much any more. They've got to do it by themselves and you reinforce the behaviour by reward. Even when chickens are "tame", it's natural to run away from something moving towards them. It's not personal.
I really think your issue will disappear in time, but if you are interested in training techniques for birds, Barbara Heidenreich is worth looking up.

Another thing that occurred to me and follows on from the advice to approach from the side is to ask how you pick up your chooks. I looked it up earlier on and I pick up my little chooks up by putting my hand under their chest like this guy

(his wasn't the video I watched before, but same technique) I do it from the side, not from above, and there's always a commentary. "I'm just giving you a face tickle, I'm going to pick you up, there's no problem, it's all good, here we go, up, you see, not scary, blah blah blah". I can grab my big girls from above, and they also do that squatting thing, but with the little girls, and the young girls, I do the chest thing.

So let them come to you, and try the chest thing. Start with just putting your hand there and keep the feed coming.

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

May I recommend minestrone as an excellent bribe? I had chickens all over me when I decided to eat my soup outside tonight

The more time you spend with your chickens, the more they'll like you. Try feeding them treats, such as watermelon rinds, from your hand. Also, after they have fallen asleep, you can pick them up and they'll be more friendly.

 

[jwyles]

View attachment 1093671
May I recommend minestrone as an excellent bribe? I had chickens all over me when I decided to eat my soup outside tonight
View attachment 1093672

That's cute! So did you share?

 

[Ursuline Chick]

I hope you shared

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

I'm telling you! I did all of this at first and



That's cute! So did you share?

Well ... yes. I shared. They loved it. They were so adorable with their begging. I couldn't say no

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

I hope you shared

How could I say no to that funny, cute, sweet, curious Chicken?!?!