my chickies hate me!

[CoyoteMagic]

Just so you know, my "Big Girls" out in the backyard used to be the same way. Now they come running to me when ever they hear the door open.

 

[seafood]

Quote:
This really does the trick. Last night I posted here about how they werent warming up to us...or so I thought.

Tonight we gave them meal worms for the first time.

I went down two hours later to see how they were...6 of ten came running to the corner I was standing near. I can see how after a week or so of new treats they will really like us!

 

[Texas Fluffy Feet]

Quote:
Maybe you need to quit licking your lips every time you go near

If you are trying to pick them up, go from the side and go up under them. I read on here how they feel the hand coming from above is about to eat them (especially if you're licking your lips lol). The under handed method of picking them up works, they still shimmie away if they can but at least they don't squeal like a pig and flap like mad around the brooder anymore.

 

[halfwaynowhere]

I tried with some treats... didn't work. My piggie RIR came up to check out what I had in my hand, but she wouldn't eat any of it. If I dropped pieces, they would come to get it, but they wouldn't take it from my hand. Kind of makes me sad. Oh well, I won't give up, I'll keep trying, even if I end up eating more of their treats than they do (hey, it can't go to waste!).

 

[Portia]

I don't have a lot of time to handle my girls either. They are now 6 weeks, but have been getting more friendly as time goes by. They do love the treats and if I have a cucumber slice they will all come running. When my husband, who they don't know, was out in the run I told him to pick up a cucumber slice and suddenly he was mobbed by at least 10 of them. I think it just takes time. They seem to be more trusting as they mature a bit. BTW, my australorps are very friendly and now hop onto my hand or arm shortly after I put it in the brooder. When out in the run, however, its the barred rocks and speckled sussex that are the first to hover around my feet.

 

[claud]

Mine always seem to be like this when they are really young and in the brooder. As soon as they get a little older and go outside(I keep them in a small pen for a while) I start giving them lots of treats - in about a day they are all over me(sometimes obnoxiously so).
They seem to settle down outside too. Maybe it's the lighting that drives them this way?

 

[P0U1TRYP3RS0N]

They don't hate you! They're chickens! The breeds you have may never get real person-friendly.If you want a really friendly, calm breed try Silkies. Leghorns are kinda flighty. However, it depends on their individual personalities. How old did you say they were? Don't worry--they'll come around!

 

[halfwaynowhere]

they are like, 3 weeks, i think. I'm not good at keeping track of things like that.
Tomorrow or sunday I'm going to get an ameraucana and a maran. The woman I'm getting them from also has silkies... I've been thinking about those... My brother might really like them. His nickname is Silky, for some strange reason, all of his friends call him that. So far my mom thinks I'm just getting the two. Its very possible that I will bring home a few more than that!

 

[Acre of Blessings]

What I started doing is just letting my hand in the brooder anf letting it be about 3 inches off the bottom and they will come to your hand and eventually jump on it and go to sleep. This happened to me last night and it was so cute.

I just had one perched on my thumb while typing this post but now it is looking at me and chirpping. It's so rewarding. Oops its on the keyboard.

Hope this helps. Many blessings from you new chicks.

 

[DTchickens]

Dunno if its been suggested. didn't really read all of the replies. but what you could do is get some kids. Maybe pay them or so, you go hold the chickens at least 30 minutes a day. i knew some people that used to pay some kids 5 dollars a week (or day. dont remember) to go hold all their chickens for 30 minutes a day. and they were calm.