My chicks have become flighty

[Mrssak11]

Hello everyone! I'm a newbie at chickens....I have 6 babies I got on mothers day...no sure how old they were (apparently I had to ask that day...oops) but i wanted them to be friendly so took the suggestion of giving them meal worms...they LOVE them! Almost take my finger off lol but they were cool with me sat on me and everything but they jump out of their brooder when I go to fill their food and i have to "catch" them to get them back in the brooder....this has made them more and more flighty everyday...anything I can do to make them less scared of this? I dont want to snuggle or anything I just want to make it easier to catch them if they get out or have an injury I need to check....suggestions?

 

[mixedbreeds]

Put a screen over the top of the brooder so you don’t need to catch them. Chicks go threw a everything is going to kill me phase most of the time anyway.

 

[so lucky]

I'm not sure, but I think chicks go through a "bratty kid" stage. My new batch have never been easy to catch, but now that they are outside in the big girls pen, they are impossible. Yesterday DH and I had to catch them all and put larger leg bands on them. We looked like a flea circus with all of them jumping straight up in the air, flying, hiding under the coop.
You will probably find them easier to catch when they get older and at point of lay. When they start squatting for you, consider it an invitation to pick them up and snuggle a bit. Well, sort of, lol.

 

[Mrssak11]

Put a screen over the top of the brooder so you don’t need to catch them. Chicks go threw a everything is going to kill me phase most of the time anyway.

I do have a screen over it but I have to take the screen off ti full their food or water

 

[Mrssak11]

I'm not sure, but I think chicks go through a "bratty kid" stage. My new batch have never been easy to catch, but now that they are outside in the big girls pen, they are impossible. Yesterday DH and I had to catch them all and put larger leg bands on them. We looked like a flea circus with all of them jumping straight up in the air, flying, hiding under the coop.
You will probably find them easier to catch when they get older and at point of lay. When they start squatting for you, consider it an invitation to pick them up and snuggle a bit. Well, sort of, lol.

I hope it is just a phase....I would like to let them free range when I'm out gardening but I can't do that if i cant get them back in their coop before they wanna go

 

[Anime2lover]

I hope it is just a phase....I would like to let them free range when I'm out gardening but I can't do that if i cant get them back in their coop before they wanna go

For free ranging, you first need to keep them in the coop long enough for them to see that as home, and long enough to get the routine down. Once they get that down, they will put themselves up at night.

 

[chrissynemetz]

Eventually they calm down, but when they're little they can be super flighty, and yes... very hard to catch.
Hang in there, it gets better

 

[rosemarythyme]

They're at the age where they're going to be bouncy and want out.

Chick behavior is different than adult behavior, if you're planning to free range this has no impact on it.

 

[so lucky]

It is possible to train your chicks to come running for treats, like rattling a can with a bit of scratch, once they learn you use that can for their treat.
This is what I did when I needed to get the girls back in their run before they would naturally return on their own for bed.
Also, when you start letting them out, only do it just about an hour or so before their bed time. They will go back in on their own. (After, as Anime2lover said, they learn that their coop is their home.)

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm not sure, but I think chicks go through a "bratty kid" stage. My new batch have never been easy to catch, but now that they are outside in the big girls pen, they are impossible. Yesterday DH and I had to catch them all and put larger leg bands on them. We looked like a flea circus with all of them jumping straight up in the air, flying, hiding under the coop.
You will probably find them easier to catch when they get older and at point of lay. When they start squatting for you, consider it an invitation to pick them up and snuggle a bit. Well, sort of, lol.

On a hot day all this chasing can stress them to the point of death. (Ask me know I know ). Much better, easier and safer to do this after they roost in the evening. Same with clipping their wings.