My chickens hate me!

[jwyles]

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

 

[PastaChickenBoo]

My chickens match your description...they won't let me go near them!!
I read somewhere that you're supposed to pick them up one by one, feed them a "special" treat, and talk softly to them. Repeat.
I read this somewhere and I'm not sure if it works tho.

 

[jwyles]

My chickens match your description...they won't let me go near them!!
I read somewhere that you're supposed to pick them up one by one, feed them a "special" treat, and talk softly to them. Repeat.
I read this somewhere and I'm not sure if it works tho.

The problem with this is that to pick mine up I'd have to corner and catch them by which point they're entirely too freaked out to eat. I tried hand feeding these chicks when they were just days old in the brooder but clearly that method didn't work at all!

 

[PastaChickenBoo]

Lol me too! My Easter egger Stripes just hates me. She runs super fast and is a pain in the butt to catch.

 

[jwyles]

Lol me too! My Easter egger Stripes just hates me. She runs super fast and is a pain in the butt to catch.

That's basically all of mine. BUT one of my EE is actually my friendliest bird. She will come sit with me but I can't approach her. She has to make the first move.

 

[funkychickenmom]

my bantams love for me to scratch their chest and they love millworm treats... as far as stressing them out trying to pick them up... let them get used to you first my chickens free range so when I see them out and about in the yard I sit on the ground and scratch around at the grass they get curious and come try to see what I found lol ... then Instead of picking them up just try to touch them and work your way up to picking them up...it takes patience and time but your chickens will trust you eventually... my bantam cochin Blondie will come jump in my lap all on her own now... best of luck to you and your chickadees

 

[jwyles]

my bantams love for me to scratch their chest and they love millworm treats... as far as stressing them out trying to pick them up... let them get used to you first my chickens free range so when I see them out and about in the yard I sit on the ground and scratch around at the grass they get curious and come try to see what I found lol ... then Instead of picking them up just try to touch them and work your way up to picking them up...it takes patience and time but your chickens will trust you eventually... my bantam cochin Blondie will come jump in my lap all on her own now... best of luck to you and your chickadees

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.

 

[tinakevin]

I think the majority of chickens don't like to be picked up. Mine will come up to me if I'm sitting in a chair outside or walking up to the coop. They want treats. Their not afraid of me but I cant just bend down and grab them either. I really don't feel the need to pick them up unless there is something wrong with them. I'm happy just to watch them and enjoy their crazy antics.

 

[User395221]

They don't hate you, it is biology at work. It is natural for small birds to be fearful of bigger things who might be going to eat them. You need to train them that you are not something of which they need to be scared. As funkychickenmom says, if you sit down and don't move, they have nothing to flee from. Make yourself attractive with treats and they'll come to you. I'd suggest never chasing them to pick them up, always get them to come over to you.

My main suggestion is that they will become less skittish with age. When I first got 2 of mine, they'd freak out like crazy every time I came near. They are now fully grown and they aren't nearly as fearful.

My other suggestion is to relax. If you tense up because you anticipate "rejection" animals will pick up on that tension and run away because they can sense it. Try to feel all relaxed and happy, happy, happy. It's a bit like having a frowny hunched person walk towards you. Your instinct goes, 'uh-oh, this won't be good' without a word spoken.

 

[jwyles]

I think the majority of chickens don't like to be picked up. Mine will come up to me if I'm sitting in a chair outside or walking up to the coop. They want treats. Their not afraid of me but I cant just bend down and grab them either. I really don't feel the need to pick them up unless there is something wrong with them. I'm happy just to watch them and enjoy their crazy antics.

A few of mine actually do this too so maybe I'm not as far behind as I thought I was. And I honestly don't want to pick them up unless I need to either but I can't even get close enough to mine to take a pic of them without them freaking out and running. I look like a mad woman chasing a bird around with my camera. I just can't believe all of the pics on byc are achieved this way!