my mean silkie chicks :C

[Keenonf]

ok so i have 8 white silkies that i got from ideal. Their about 3 weeks old and I swear they hate me. Before i got them i read everything i could about them. Fluffy, sweet, great mothers. Whats not to like?! So I got them and there completely opposite of what I read about. I mean i spend time with them, i give them treats. Why do they hate me? So is this normal? Are they suppose to be buttholes at this age?

 

[redrocketrooster]

Quote:
Using the word hate is not a good word or way to think of it. It may just be fear or stubbornness. Not hate. Hate is when your on a bike and large rooster chases you back home.
Ages three to seven weeks they are butts most of the time from what I hear too. It's like super annoying, joy kill, preteen and puberty time.
It doesn't happen with all chickens and I don't have experience to back it up (will soon enough) but this is what I've been told by several local chicken owners.
Silkies are adorable and one day I hope to own at least one lavender or buff, until then I can only give you beat around the bush advice.

How often have you been playing with them? An issue I see often is that when they are taken out to play some people get very hands on and like to touch them a lot.
This is fine however letting them come to you to figure out what your about is best. A relaxed, calm and less stimulated atmosphere is best. Hands are still spooky ooky.

 

[Keenonf]

Your right, I used the word hate a little loosely. I'm not constantly grabbing them and pulling them towards me violently. I'll probably pick them up 3 times a day. I check on food and water levels whenever I get the chance, so they see me a lot. I've been lately trying to put treats in my hand so that hopefully they will learn that my hand isn't going to hurt them. Its really not all of them though. I have probably two that don't freak out when they see me. I ordered straight run so is it possible i just have a bunch of roosters? I can already tell that a couple are but i'm hoping for some hens. I don't maybe i'm just being impatient.

 

[redrocketrooster]

Quote:
I talk eccentrically. Well I didn't mean violently or anything. Just some folks get too touchy with them. Again though, butt heads during puberty. BUTT HEADS!
Have you tried taking away the feeder and coming out frequently to feed them yourself? If you have time of course. They can easily associate you with food that way.
Have you tried crickets or mealworms? All time favorites with mine. Just hold them with tweezers and chickas do the rest.
Roosters are like dice, sometimes you get the wise, calm and cuddly pack protector and other times you get the crazy and aggressive ones who rip your hens to pieces desperately trying to get some.
Only time will tell (and crroowwwinnggg).

One thing I'm going to do when I am out there with them is set up a chair next to the run that I can pull into it.

I think just by me sitting there and watching will help them be closer to me when they are in the butt head stage.

Just try your best with them and experiment with different bonding methods. Patience I suppose is key, especially with hormonal birds.

 

[chicmom]

I also bought some silkies from a hatchery, and I didn't like their temperaments either. They were constantly scared--cowering in a corner in the brooder. I took care of them from day old chicks, but it seemed like they never got used to me. Didn't like them at all really.

 

[redrocketrooster]

Quote:
Hmm...what hatchery did you purchase from? Frankly I think when you take a naturally docile animal it's important to pay attention to the lines being bred. And to never breed them with a timid or timorous animal. The result normally end up being a whiley bunch of very fearful animals and if the line is allowed to breed for sake of consumer demand surely the line will just grow more and more with unfavorable animals. I know that some hatcheries have nice Silkie lines however I also am aware that some are bred like all get out regardless. Breeders really are the safe way to go.

 

[AHappychick]

I do think some f;locks breed nicer friendlier chicks but that is because many peole choose their flocks, roos especially for personality as well as type so they are already starting out with friendly docile parent stock. I have been told that my white silkies are friendlier than other silkies people have had even as chicks. The only way I can explain it is that my roo named Fuzzy Apple is super sweet to everyone and is handled a lot the hens are all friendly also since I dont handle my chicks individually very much I dont have any other explanation for it.

If I was you 8 is not that many, if you can each day pick a few one at a time to sit with you and play with you while you watch tv or something. It will probably cry and try to run away but after a little while should calm and want to be held in your hands for warmth. Right now they have imprinted on each other and prefer their own company you need one on one time to show them that you are cool too

pet it and use whatever verbiage you would when dealing with them in the future. I always say "oh what a cute chick chick" And when I call my birds for treats I do the same thing saying "here chick chick chick", those with names I make sure to talk to it specifically using its name I am pretty sure both Fuzzy Apple and Alabaster know their names and respond when talked to. when I hold them I stroke their crops and neck and repeat what a good boy they are and their names. I am very repetitive.

There is usually one in the bunch that will choose to be more friendly but that wont start to emerge until they are juveniles usually.

 

[redrocketrooster]

Quote:
It has a lot to do with the parents. When I bred rats I remember I had a female from birth who skittish however she had a nice build and large for a female so I bred her to my sweetest male.
The pups all turned out like the male. If you don't start with a nice and sweet stock you really are going to end up with some already human contact handicapped chickas. There is of course the exception to those rules though.
My chicks pay special attention when I use my super sweet voice on them, they seem to like it a lot.

 

[Keenonf]

Well i got them from ideal. I should have just bought an incubator and bought fertile eggs. I'll go to walmart today and buy some crickets. Thanks for the advice everyone. Keep it coming!

 

[Foxhound lady]

Mine are from Ideal and between 0-2 weeks they were awesome little cuddlers (handled many times a day, with water and food changed feq). At 2.5 -4 weeks they acted like the hand of death was coming at them and would all run to the corner of the brooder. At about 6 weeks they would walk up to you and step up on you hand.

We used treats with from 2-4 weeks bribed with mealworms, raspberries and yogurt dipped fingers and cooked spagetti/rice. Bribery the only way to a chickens heart

They are a year old right now and will still step up like a pet bird, and will come running cuz they think you have things. Heck the silkies will practically trip you out in the yard if they think you have stuff.