My flock wont let me touch them

[Hedgeland Farms]

So, we handled all the chicks a good bit as babies,they are all between 13-14wks now...and they just run at the sight of my hand.... UNLESS...I have treats ...which they eat OUT OF MY HAND , or bedtime I can kinda pet them as they make their way into the coop...

Any suggestions to help them get better used to me?? To trust me??
I hang out with them abt 3x a day for at least 20-30 min

 

[Sussex19]

Its at least partly the age, when they are teenagers they tend to get a bit wild, and then settle down ones they start laying eggs.
And at least in my (limited) experience as long as they take food from your hand, they to trust you; but just don't like being touched.

 

[raingarden]

The thing about friendly chickens is that they can start demanding attention and the concomitant treats. A chicken that's always underfoot. I'd rather they remain a bit aloof and wary.

 

[Shadrach]

I can't think of a single reason why a chicken should trust a human.

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

Its at least partly the age, when they are teenagers they tend to get a bit wild, and then settle down ones they start laying eggs.
And at least in my (limited) experience as long as they take food from your hand, they to trust you; but just don't like being touched.

Thank you!
They are just so skittish! I gotta move incredibly slow in order for them to not freak out and run away lol.

I'll just keep working with them, and respect their current boundaries lol..

Everything I read abt golden comets said they love attention...
Mine are super curious, but definetly not interested in having any attention showered down on them lol...I feel like they tolerate me

Cinnamon queens are supposed to be sweet and docile lol ..while they are also curious...not so much wanting to be loved on

I have several EEs which are supposed to be "exceptionally friendly" most of them won't even eat out of my hand, and i cant catch any of them

I have 2 crested cream legbars who I can't even catch AT ALL

I also have a blue sapphire she was friendly at a young age...but now she also runs

Like yall...I wanna be your friend!!! Bahahaha

 

[DuckDuckSook]

I have hens that are 5 months, teenage chicks at 11 weeks and younger chicks that are 5 weeks old. My hens, which are not laying yet, are skittish around me, but not as bad as it was a few weeks ago. They might be getting ready to lay now. The breeds for those are: Easter Egger, Blue Australorp, and Buff Orpington. My teenage chicks are actually my friendliest at the moment. I've been picking them up quite a bit and I think that has made them even friendlier. They are 3 Cinnamon Queens and 1 Easter Egger. My youngest chicks are still in my house in the brooder and they are skittish right now. When we first got them, they were very friendly. The breeds of my youngest chicks are: Cream Legbar, Cuckoo Marans, Black Sumatran, Colombian Wyandotte, Fibro Easter Egger, and Cookies and Cream. The only 3 out of that group that really come over to me are the Cream Legbar, the Marans, and the Cookies and Cream. I was expecting all my Easter Eggers to be the most people-social, and that hasn't proven to be the case. I think every chicken is uniquely different and every breed is going to have some friendly personalities and some that are stand-offish.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I think a lot has to do with your demeanor, body language and general emotions they sense. I did not hold my chickens when they were little, I don't feed them treats out of my hand (rarely even get treats) and I don't try to pet them or pick them up unless I have to. You would think my chickens run away from me right? Nope. If I sit out in the grass guess who comes running over to me? If I sit in a lawn chair I have chickens pulling at my shoe laces and sitting under my chair. If I squat down to grab something and look up I have an audience. They have access to food 24/7 and free range most of the day they don't equate me showing up with food either. Some days I wish they liked me less because I'm already clumsy enough without having to trip over chickens.

 

[McChooky]

Chickens that like and trust you will take treats out of your hand but you'll probably have to chase it if you have to give it medicine or do a health exam. Most people do this at night after they've gone to roost . The exceptions are those that are as pets (don't live in coops)

 

[MochaLatte]

The thing about friendly chickens is that they can start demanding attention and the concomitant treats. A chicken that's always underfoot. I'd rather they remain a bit aloof and wary.

This ^^^

Sometimes my girls run over to me and squat *immediately infront* of my feet and I almost die trying to not step on their toes.

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

I can't think of a single reason why a chicken should trust a human.

Perhaps I have different flock goals and i do wish they would trust me.. these are ladies that will be around till they die naturally or a preditor gets them..
However, I am sure over the course of time they will learn I have no intentions to harm them...ill just keep on keeping on