KnoxChickens
Hatching
- May 12, 2019
- 2
- 6
- 6
I recently acquired a backyard, city flock of six 10-13 week old pullets. I have a buff Orpington, a speckled Sussex, a Barred Rock, a white Leghorn, a Rhode Island Red and an Australorp.
I bought all six pullets from the same farm where the farmer pasture raises his chickens. This meant that the girls had had little direct contact with humans until the day that the farmer scooped each one of my breed selections into a net and then placed them in the box in my car so I could take them home.
I have a nice coop and run which the girls took to right away. Their feed and water are inside the coop and they happily go in the coop to eat and drink. They also put themselves to bed on the roosts in the coop each evening (of course lock it up tight for the night right after they’re all inside. ) Also, since we have a fully fenced yard, I do let my pullets free range around our 1/4 acre yard for at least a few hours each day. They’re able to go back into their coop whenever they feel like while they’re free-ranging.
My problem is this: the 6 pullets HATE having any human come within 3 feet of them. They immediately take off if you try to approach them, no matter how calmly and slowly you do this. I have tried bringing out bowls full of treats, ranging from mealworms to black sunflower seeds to cut up hotdogs. As I approach, I call for the flock in a pleasant, high pitched voice and toss small handfuls of the treats as near them as they will let me get. Instead of showing any interest in the treats or even approaching the treats, which are now on the ground, they take off running as if terrified that whatever I’ve gently tossed their way is something scary and of no interest to them. As for getting any of them close enough to touch or to eat out of my hand, that’s a non-starter at this point.
Do any of y’all have any suggestions for how to tame a basically feral flock of pullets? All suggestions welcome.
I bought all six pullets from the same farm where the farmer pasture raises his chickens. This meant that the girls had had little direct contact with humans until the day that the farmer scooped each one of my breed selections into a net and then placed them in the box in my car so I could take them home.
I have a nice coop and run which the girls took to right away. Their feed and water are inside the coop and they happily go in the coop to eat and drink. They also put themselves to bed on the roosts in the coop each evening (of course lock it up tight for the night right after they’re all inside. ) Also, since we have a fully fenced yard, I do let my pullets free range around our 1/4 acre yard for at least a few hours each day. They’re able to go back into their coop whenever they feel like while they’re free-ranging.
My problem is this: the 6 pullets HATE having any human come within 3 feet of them. They immediately take off if you try to approach them, no matter how calmly and slowly you do this. I have tried bringing out bowls full of treats, ranging from mealworms to black sunflower seeds to cut up hotdogs. As I approach, I call for the flock in a pleasant, high pitched voice and toss small handfuls of the treats as near them as they will let me get. Instead of showing any interest in the treats or even approaching the treats, which are now on the ground, they take off running as if terrified that whatever I’ve gently tossed their way is something scary and of no interest to them. As for getting any of them close enough to touch or to eat out of my hand, that’s a non-starter at this point.
Do any of y’all have any suggestions for how to tame a basically feral flock of pullets? All suggestions welcome.
they're typical teenagers
