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.

 

[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)

 

[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

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

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)

Thanks for making me feel better!!

 

[McChooky]

Thanks for making me feel better!!

Yes please don't take it personal if they avoid being touched or picked up thats just the way chickens are .They love you to hang out with them and give them a lot of attention but they just don't like being held lol

 

[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.

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

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.

Solid point! Thanks for the new perspective!!!

 

[McChooky]

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.

I agree!

 

[Firsttimehens1234]

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

I have 8 chickens that are now 13 weeks old but I have had them since they hatched. What I did was sit in the coop with food and when they had eaten that just sit there and do nothing really and let them come to you and I also talked to them so they would remember my voice when I would feed them. But I can definitely feel they’re teenagers bc they have gone more wild and don’t like to be touched as much as they used to like