My chicks are skittish!

[Sonya9]

Do you hold them? I know some say "wait until the chicks come to you" but others say gently pick them up and cup them against your body. They squirm a little and then they will learn to relax. Cupping them against your chest helps, don't hold them away from your body. Speak softly and support their little feet, make them feel secure.

Also you mentioned having children, are they young children that make lots of noise and move around a lot when near the chicks? Being quiet and calm (that includes kids) without making sudden movements that mimic a predator will help too.

 

[MaLoTu]

My chickens do not care for any food, so most treats did not entice them to be any warmer to me. However, with a little age (at about 4-5 weeks) and with live meal worms, some of them became much more excited and less scared of me. I have 12 in my brooder and there are 2 that are not scared of me at all, a LH and a BO. My other 3 BO are not too scared, but dont like to be held. I have 7 BSL and they are terrified of me.

Dried meal worms didn't work the same, although they like it.

Not all breeds are the same and chickens have their own personalities.

So, I guess there is no magic formula.

 

[manychitlens]

I have four chicks that are 4.5 weeks old, and two chicks that are 3.5 weeks. They are all different breeds, but like you I tried to choose the friendliest breeds that fit into our lifestyle (and also wanted different colors, etc). Anyway our brooder is also set up in a way that we have to come at them from above, but almost all of the walls of the brooder are wire, and it's raised up off the floor. So I spend a lot of time (and so do the kids) just sitting in front of the brooder. Up until maybe the last week all of them would scream and run when I went to clean the brooder or inspect them, which I do at least once every day, except for one chick who I can just reach in and grab. Now the four older ones and one of the younger ones are big enough and feathered enough to fly out of the brooder when I take the top off, so they fly up and hang out with me while I'm cleaning it. They are MUCH less scared of me now than they were. My cuckoo marans will even fly up and sit on my or DH's shoulder while we're cleaning the brooder now, lol. I still have a couple that will hang out with me, but absolutely hate to be touched or picked up. I'm okay with that really, I know they are all going to be different. But at least they aren't cowering in fear. I haven't used any treats yet but probably will start pretty soon, I'm going to start taking them to their run every day and training them to come with treats. Anyway, I was afraid they would never be friendly too, but they really are getting better now that they can come hang out on my level, on their own terms. I'm sure yours will come around, too!

 

[blusuede]

My girls are ages 5 and 6. They are gentle when they're holding them but can get kinda crazy just running in and out of the bathroom without any regards to the chicks, being kids. The chicks ate out of all our hands tonight with the dried meal worms. I think I am going to bring them out into the living room so they can chill with us for awhile. But we have a 7 month old puppy (golden doodle) that is very sweet to the chicks but I wouldn't want to leave them out with her.

I appreciate everyone's input!

 

[chrijans]

You're right man, chicks are sooo skits. The other night i saw a drunk lady screaming at a tree.... all i could think of is that chicks are skits.