My hens are terrified of me!

[lilapot]

I have four hens, three haven't started laying yet and the other is just finished molting. We used to have only two, but then one(named Christina) died of sour crop. The original chicken that didn't die was a little more skittish than Christina,but was overall friendly. She saw Christina die and ever since then is terrified of us, and if she sees us she'll run away screaming at the top of her lungs. When we got our new chickens, she taught this to them, so now we have 4 very unfriendly chickens on our hands. I know they're not supposed to remember, but she remembers!



So, does anyone have tips on making chickens more friendly?

 

[bobbi-j]

How old are they, and how long have you had them? How are you trying to get close to them? Remember that chickens are a prey animal, so their instinct is to run away from any perceived threat. If you are chasing after them, trying to catch them, they see you as a threat. The best thing you can do is just sit quietly among them and let them get used to you. Try tossing out a treat to them now and then. Let it land closer and closer to you as they get less skittish. Eventually you could have them eating out of your hand. It will take much time and patience, though, and if you bend down to try and catch them, or reach for them, you may have to earn their trust all over again. Patience is the key.

 

[chickens really]

Yeah, if your a hyper type of person who moves quickly and your energy is up? Animals all feed off energy.....Be calm and relaxed...Sit quietly and read a magazine and sprinkle some feed around you.....Soon they will come towards the calmness and wont be scared of you.....


Cheers!

 

[lilapot]

One is a year and 2 months, the others are 5-6 months I would guess. Thanks for the advice! We have tried to sprinkle feed around us, but my Mom keeps on running out of patience and tries to grab them. I will tell her. Thanks again!

 

[bobbi-j]

One is a year and 2 months, the others are 5-6 months I would guess. Thanks for the advice! We have tried to sprinkle feed around us, but my Mom keeps on running out of patience and tries to grab them. I will tell her. Thanks again!

Yeah, that's not helping. It's likely going to take days - not minutes or hours - to get them to trust you. It can take that long without people trying to grab them. The more that happens, the longer it's going to take.

 

[chickens really]

One is a year and 2 months, the others are 5-6 months I would guess. Thanks for the advice! We have tried to sprinkle feed around us, but my Mom keeps on running out of patience and tries to grab them. I will tell her. Thanks again!

There you go.......High energy, hyper people!......Chickens are Chickens....Why people tell other people to stop being a Chicken....lol....

Calm things down and keep Mom out of the Hen house!!



Cheers!