My chicks are crazy scared of me.

[Justicedog]

Hi, I know chickens are prey animals and are, well, chicken.

This is my 3rd time brooding chicks and I don't recall the other two groups behaving like this group.

This group acts like I am a big scary hawk intent on killing them. They completely freak out each day when I check the food and water. They're about 5 1/2 weeks old. I'd stopped picking them up as they freak out so much, I figured that if I just keep calmly talking to them and slowing take care of their food and water that they they'll get used to me. But that hasn't happened. One day last week I did move them, one by one, from the brooder in the garage out to a big dog cage in the back yard as it was a nice day.

When I'd pick one up - after catching it - it'd scream, but when it was alone as I was transporting it through the house, cuddled to my chest, it stopped screaming.

Is that what I should be doing? Taking them out individually and spending time with them without the others?

What are some good chick snacks to give them/bribe them with? I'd just been doing the medicated chick feed.

What can I do to make these crazy chicks like me?

 

[gtaus]

I don't raise my chickens as pets, so if they run away from me that is just fine. I know they will also run away from true predators if one should come around (like a neighborhood dog). After feeding my chickens every day for 2 years, I still only have one hen, an ISA Brown, that will come up to me to be petted. All other 9 of my hens run away from me - unless I have a bucket of kitchen scraps or other food in hand.

There are plenty of people who raised their chickens as pets. Witness all the pics of some young girl walking around with a chicken on her head! That's not me. But, OK.

If you want to "tame" your chicks and make them more friendly towards you, then I have read where people just start off by sitting in the run with the chickens and letting them get used to you. Maybe throw out a little chicken scratch or snacks. Over a period of time, they will see you as less threatening and maybe as someone with good things for them to eat. Just throw the treats a little closer to you day by day, keeping mostly still so as not to frighten the birds, and over time you will get them sitting in your lap eating treats out of your hand. I suppose you could prop them up on your head for a picture soon after that....

 

[PippinTheChicken]

One of my chicks used to be quite shy.
This might sound weird but to make her trust me, I would grab her and hold her up against my chest (against my heart) for a few minutes until she calmed down and fell asleep.
After days of that, she is now the cuddliest chick!!! It sounds strange but it works!

 

[KingD]

They are a Blue Rock, Lavender Orpington, Partridge Rock, Americauna and a French Black Copper Marans.

Some breeds are just more skittish than others.
My last batch of chicks were so scared of me. My current lot (french copper marans) are the friendliest ones I've ever had.

 

[KingD]

I think they freak out when your hand is coming in from above which is their instinctive behaviour for escaping predators from the sky. Once your hand is at their level it's easier to calm them down.

 

[JedJackson]

If you want them to be friendly, then pick them up, one at a time, for a few moments each day. Meal worms make a good treat to bribe them with.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

I had 2 tame ones and one shy one.
When the shy one saw the cuddly ones with me, he knew it was safe to be with me

 

[NatJ]

What are some good chick snacks to give them/bribe them with? I'd just been doing the medicated chick feed.

Chick starter + water makes a mush that chickens of all ages seem to love.

You can offer it in your hand or in a shallow dish (like a jar lid.) It may take them some time to try the first bit and decide it is good, but after that they typically come running up to eat it.

It is safe for them to eat as much as they want, since it's just chicken food and water, but you don't want to leave it sitting around long enough to spoil or grow mold.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Chick starter + water makes a mush that chickens of all ages seem to love.

You can offer it in your hand or in a shallow dish (like a jar lid.) It may take them some time to try the first bit and decide it is good, but after that they typically come running up to eat it.

It is safe for them to eat as much as they want, since it's just chicken food and water, but you don't want to leave it sitting around long enough to spoil or grow mold.

They go crazy for chick pizza made of:
Chick crumb + water = dough
Peas + corn mush = sauce
Mealworms + seeds = toppings
Try to make it!

they devoured the whole pizza in a matter of seconds!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Some breeds are more skittish than others. What breed/s are they?

The breed I raise are so scared and wild, if one gets out of the brooder, they run like the wind and almost impossible to catch even as day olds.

That behavior isn't good for lap pets but it keeps them alive in a free range situation.