My chickens hate me!

[quails3]

Please someone tell me how to get my 9 pullets, ages 13-18 weeks (approx) to stop hating me. Maybe being terrified of me is more accurate-but tomato/tomato (wait that doesn't work with typingbut you get the point). I'm mind blown when I read about the ones of you that can just "pick them up"!!! I want that life so what do I gotta do to get it? Help me out y'all! TIA

I recently got twelve different mix chickens and only three of them "like" me and I honestly think it's because of the Breed they are. One will even run up to me and let me pick her up she's a buff Cochin. I didn't even try to hold her as a chick. She was just naturally friendly!

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

I agree with the previous poster who said there seem to be flightier breeds - my Isa Browns are both sweet and approachable, and the easter eggers are both wild forest chickens who don't want to be caught or held or penned or cooped at all!!! My Marans are both extremely curious and will walk to up us and ask for treats or see what we're doing (or check out my latest color of toenail polish - can we eat THAT one?), but they don't particularly like to be held. And the leghorn is a crazy racing chicken that just likes to run and run!

 

[jwyles]

@MIChickandGuinea & @quails3 I did select for stereotypical friendly behavior. I stayed away from leghorn and other better layers paying more attention to personality than abilities bc I share my flock with my young children. I have Cochin bantam, brahma, faverolle, FBCM, EE,OE, and lavender Ameraucana. After hearing the replies from so many I truly believe it's age and nothing more.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Haha! I understand! I'm pretty careful too. And you don't think you'll offend me by not giving more personal info. My hometown is about as personal as I'll get as well. That stinks you lost your roo! I honestly don't see why people get to put their feet down in regards to roosters yet loud barking dogs are expected to be overlooked. I've got neighbors that just let their dogs go on and on and I find it so disrespectful however a rooster crowing is offensive??? Um ok!!!! Anyway. The "spoken" rule I keep hearing is no rooster in city limits. Yes Vidalia is rural but their are slot of established neighborhoods here so they implemented livestock ordinances at some point.

Oh I really get it with the dog thing. We have dogs that live in almost every neighbors home and we have wild life since Katrina, possums, coons, Night Herons nesting in the oak tree in front of our house. The young herons actually perch on my roof and wait for a fish to swim by in my pool. LOL But when the wild life get one dog going, they all start barking. It can really get obnoxious. However that doesn't seem to be a problem in our city, kind of like pot holes in the street. We have so many they get named and decorated. Since your rooster law seems to be word of mouth, have you talked to your neighbors regarding keeping a roo? When I got busted we only had to get rid of the roo and the spca gave us 14 days to do so, no fine, and they didn't even check my backyard for how many birds I was keeping. We are only allowed 4 pets, doesn't matter if it's 1 cat, 1 dog and 2 hens, as long as it's not more than 4.

 

[jwyles]

Oh I really get it with the dog thing. We have dogs that live in almost every neighbors home and we have wild life since Katrina, possums, coons, Night Herons nesting in the oak tree in front of our house. The young herons actually perch on my roof and wait for a fish to swim by in my pool. LOL But when the wild life get one dog going, they all start barking. It can really get obnoxious. However that doesn't seem to be a problem in our city, kind of like pot holes in the street. We have so many they get named and decorated. Since your rooster law seems to be word of mouth, have you talked to your neighbors regarding keeping a roo? When I got busted we only had to get rid of the roo and the spca gave us 14 days to do so, no fine, and they didn't even check my backyard for how many birds I was keeping. We are only allowed 4 pets, doesn't matter if it's 1 cat, 1 dog and 2 hens, as long as it's not more than 4.

That is too weird about the 4 pets no matter what! I've never heard of that. To answer your question one of my neighbors actually has s rooster, but the thing is this. In small town American where the ordinances are kind of lax you don't want to be the person who changes that. Truth is I've got just as many trouble making neighbors as I've got good ones and if they decide to make an issue of it then it means trouble for all the chicken folk bc everyone knows no ordinance is really being enforced. If I'm making sense. I know plenty in town who have Roos but they know their neighbors and know they're cool with it. I just unfortunately don't have that luxury.

 

[Chickassan]

My chickens go through stages of loving me to death and then acting like I stink. I've got freindly breeds as well, faverolles. The only thing that changes their minds and this is a terrible dirty trick is raisins yeah plain old blah, blah raisins.

 

[IslaBean]

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]

My chickens go through stages of loving me to death and then acting like I stink. I've got freindly breeds as well, faverolles. The only thing that changes their minds and this is a terrible dirty trick is raisins yeah plain old blah, blah raisins.

Arsenal!!! Thank you! Aren't faverolles the best??? Only have 1 but she is the funniest little thing. I searched far and wide around my home town to find my sweet Adelyne. She was worth it!

 

[jwyles]

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.

Thank you someone else mentioned petting them after they went up to roost so I actually did this very thing tonight. I went to close their coop and I petted each one and told it good night! As funny as it sounds it's 100% true!

 

[Ursuline Chick]

That is too weird about the 4 pets no matter what! I've never heard of that. To answer your question one of my neighbors actually has s rooster, but the thing is this. In small town American where the ordinances are kind of lax you don't want to be the person who changes that. Truth is I've got just as many trouble making neighbors as I've got good ones and if they decide to make an issue of it then it means trouble for all the chicken folk bc everyone knows no ordinance is really being enforced. If I'm making sense. I know plenty in town who have Roos but they know their neighbors and know they're cool with it. I just unfortunately don't have that luxury.

So sorry to hear that, but I do understand. That's why we asked neighbors before we took the roo in to begin with. Kind of funny, here I am thinking you would have an easier time in a small town. So glad we are exchanging info. Thanks for following me. Always nice to learn what life is really like elsewhere instead of false assumptions.