My chicks peck my hand too hard when I feed them

[ChickenKiera]

I have two chicks and whenever I hand feed them, they peck my hand really hard and they pull the skin (which really hurts). I also put their favourite treat (mealworms) in my hand and they peck them really quickly and hard which pulls my skin also. Is it just because they love them so much?
Is there any way that I can teach them to not peck to hard on my hand and to slow down while eating from my hand?

 

[FortCluck]

It's because they are chicks, chicks are not the most graceful things ever or the most gentle things ever. If you continue to hand feed them they will get the hang of it. Once they start pulling your skin I would stop hand feeding them and then try again the next day, they will realize that once they start pulling skin, the food goes away.

 

[chickens really]

Stop hand feeding then..
I definitely never hand feed birds. Can cause pushy and aggressive behaviour.

 

[Folly's place]

Put the treats or food in their dish, or on the ground, don't hand feed them. You can peck them back, fast, hard enough to be irritating and not cause injury too. Be fast, and peck several times if needed.
They are chickens, not puppies! They have their own cute behaviors to enjoy, and being injured by rude behavior needs to stop.
Mary

 

[rosemarythyme]

Don't hand feed, or wear gloves. They're not actively trying to hurt you, they're just very excited and doing whatever they can to quickly shove treats down their throats.

 

[Club cramahe coop]

What I find is if I want to hand feed, I don’t hold my flat hand out. I hold the food in a closed fist and one the one end with my fore finger and thumb creating a hole. They tend to reach in and can’t seam to get anything but food. I should say I only do that if I want them close enough to catch them or view them up close. They now come running when they seen my hand like that.

 

[aart]

I have two chicks and whenever I hand feed them, they peck my hand really hard and they pull the skin (which really hurts). I also put their favourite treat (mealworms) in my hand and they peck them really quickly and hard which pulls my skin also. Is it just because they love them so much?
Is there any way that I can teach them to not peck to hard on my hand and to slow down while eating from my hand?

How old are they?
I've found some birds are gentle when hand feeding and some are not.

 

[Shadrach]

It takes time for a chick to gain pecking accuracy and delicacy. Some chickens have a harder peck then other. As they mature they will learn to be more gentle.

 

[aart]

As they mature they will learn to be more gentle.

Ehhh...maybe. I have a few that never learned.

 

[ChickenKiera]

How old are they?
I've found some birds are gentle when hand feeding and some are not.

They are about 7 weeks old