My chickens hate me!

[jwyles]

Glad to get to know a fellow Louisiana chicken lady.

Ok! I hadn't realized! How cool!

 

[jwyles]

@Ursuline Chick i started following your profile! Hope that's ok!

 

[User395221]

I trained a feral kitten

Cats and dogs are completely different to birds. In general, they like (or will like) hanging out with people. That's why they got selected to be our pets. They are "easy". Birds and rabbits don't really want to hang around with people, they need to be convinced that there's no threat and that they don't have to run away.

Your birds are young. Think of young children, they'll hide behind mum's skirt and peer out. They are more fearful than older children/adults. It's natural for birds to run or fly away and it's even more natural for young birds who haven't been alive long enough to figure out that "their people" are not a threat but are actually the source of goodies like food to run or fly away, or hide. There's really no option but to be patient, even when it doesn't come easily.

I've never really trained my chooks, I just let them maraud around doing whatever they want. But they know "chook chook chook" and me heading to their run means food. Figure out your key word/s, use them and ALWAYS accompany those word/s with food. It may take time, but they will learn that those words mean something good, and that you are associated with all the goodness.

 

[jwyles]

Hey @potato chip I'm loving that username but it is making me hungry! Thanks for the advice!

 

[Ursuline Chick]

yes, thank you. I hope you find it somewhat interesting. I will have to figure out how to follow you, if you are okay with that. Sounds like it will add to the fun. May I ask what part of Louisiana you are in?

 

[jwyles]

yes, thank you. I hope you find it somewhat interesting. I will have to figure out how to follow you, if you are okay with that. Sounds like it will add to the fun. May I ask what part of Louisiana you are in?

Just click on my username and a breakdown of my profile will show. There will be several options along the bottom and one will read "follow". Just click it. I'm in Vidalia, La. you?

 

[User395221]

What does following actually do?

 

[jwyles]

What does following actually do?

Honestly probably nothing more than just establishing a slightly more personal relationship with certain people. Making it easier to check up and keep in touch.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Most chickens don't care for being picked up, but some can still be "lap chickens" if they're given the opportunity to hop up there when they want to. Personally I don't want my chickens on my lap (dirty feet) but most of mine have ended up on a lap at one point or another.

Treats will help win them over, along with exposure to you without you chasing them or trying handle them directly. In the morning I usually do some gardening, and the chickens follow me around as I garden. I pay them no real attention, other than throwing them a bit of greens or the occasional grub. In the afternoon I pull out a chair and just sit in the run a few minutes and toss out treats. They will learn pretty quickly to associate you with food, and at that point you should be able to resume handling them without them running away, because they're hoping to be fed.

One last thing, your chickens are mostly at that age where they're more paranoid and jumpy than when they were chicks. Once they reach point of lay they should calm down and be more accepting of spending time with you.

 

[User395221]

Once they reach point of lay they should calm down and be more accepting of spending time with you.

One thing I noticed with some of my girls, if I go up and want to pick her up, she'll squat down. Is this something that comes with maturity? It's what they do with roosters, isn't it? (forgive my ignorance, never had roosters, not allowed roosters)