My chickens hate me!

[FrankieDoodle]

Hah! I'm sorry it's probably not funny, but we have such opposite chickens. 5 out of 7 will run up to you and. Climb on your lap. The other two we didn't raise so maybe that's why. Best of luck getting them to like you

 

[FrankieDoodle]

My fiancé calls me the crazy chicken lady lol. He says I spend all my free time with the chickens. I can't help it though. I laugh every time I see one run across the yard, and I love how they all run up to me when I walk outside. I even have a hen who will hang out with me even when the other chickens wander off to eat. Then she'll realize how far away the flock is and take off running towards them. I call her my buddy bird because I haven't come up with a name for her yet.

What type of chicken is she?

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

That soup isn't made with chicken broth is it? If so that's funny and kinda messed up at the same time.
My wife caught me feeing my chickens their own eggs after I scrambled them. She told me that's really F'ed up.

Hahahahahah!! And the poor chickens ... they think "Chicken Noodle Soup" is any soup with noodles in it that I can share with chickens.

 

[woodsman23]

you must move very slowly slower the better

 

[MAchicken105]

Don't mean to hijack this thread but I'm having trouble finding someone that has had experience with this. I posted my own thread but didn't get any answers....

My 7, 16 & 20 week old pullets prefer to hang in their coop during the day now. They never used to like going in the coop during the day, all of a sudden they prefer it. The weather has been beautiful, there's no need to take shelter. They had no problem staying out in thunder storms before. They have a 12X12 roofed predator proof run and access to another 12X12 grass run when supervised. It's been going on for 2 weeks now. Everyone feels and looks healthy, no mites/lice, no predators around....is this normal?

Again...soooo sorry to post off topic, just need some help

 

[FrankieDoodle]

Don't mean to hijack this thread but I'm having trouble finding someone that has had experience with this. I posted my own thread but didn't get any answers....

My 7, 16 & 20 week old pullets prefer to hang in their coop during the day now. They never used to like going in the coop during the day, all of a sudden they prefer it. The weather has been beautiful, there's no need to take shelter. They had no problem staying out in thunder storms before. They have a 12X12 roofed predator proof run and access to another 12X12 grass run when supervised. It's been going on for 2 weeks now. Everyone feels and looks healthy, no mites/lice, no predators around....is this normal?

Again...soooo sorry to post off topic, just need some help

Nice profile pic!

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

Don't mean to hijack this thread but I'm having trouble finding someone that has had experience with this. I posted my own thread but didn't get any answers....

My 7, 16 & 20 week old pullets prefer to hang in their coop during the day now. They never used to like going in the coop during the day, all of a sudden they prefer it. The weather has been beautiful, there's no need to take shelter. They had no problem staying out in thunder storms before. They have a 12X12 roofed predator proof run and access to another 12X12 grass run when supervised. It's been going on for 2 weeks now. Everyone feels and looks healthy, no mites/lice, no predators around....is this normal?

Again...soooo sorry to post off topic, just need some help

Well the coop is safe space often in their heads, so something may have spooked them... land or air predator... brainstorming this one: try moving water and feed a few feet out of the area into the yard... just start putting treats out side of reach were they will have to come out. Don't rush it but let them reexplore the area... you could close the coop after they lay as well. Basically something seems to have frightened them and shaken their confidence... watch them, they may be seeing or sensing a predator you are not, could be a night one too.

 

[wvchics]

What type of chicken is she?

She is a buff orpington. She is so sweet she loves to perch on my shoulder also. She's always been like that. She's never too far from me when I'm outside. Most all of them will run up to me, but she tends to hang out with me.

 

[FrankieDoodle]

She is a buff orpington. She is so sweet she loves to perch on my shoulder also. She's always been like that. She's never too far from me when I'm outside. Most all of them will run up to me, but she tends to hang out with me.

That's sweet!

 

[Summer Lion]

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.

That's my approach with my girls. We got them because we wanted eggs and they had been badly bullied by their original flock. 2 of them are very friendly and interested in me, but I'm not going to try picking them up and I'm hopeful that being able to touch them will happen organically, and in their time. Within a few days of being brought here, they run to the gate when they see me and are calm so that I can sit among them. I touched my Lacey, (she is such a pretty hen and actually walks into any pic shot I take and "poses" lol) and she flinched for a sec, then ruffled her feathers like I messed up her "do" but she didn't run off.