my second problem has made itself visable. read it all and help plz!!!

Sit in a chair where they usually hang out. Take a piece of bread or two and throw them little crumbs of it. Make sure to drop it closer and closer to you. Eventually, they will end up on your lap for their treat.

 

I also think age has something to do with it. Mine used to want to be held. Then they had minds of their own and didn't want me near them, now they are always under my feet!! Treats definitely help>

 

Like with any pet, treats win. They will recognize you voice and assume you have some food. Cut up apples, carrot shavings, yougart, cooked oatmeal with cooked rice-mix it together while cooking and cut up apples to boot. You will mean food and love. Soon they will want to see you.

 

What texaschickenmama said. Bring a chair out there. Scatter food at your feet. Read a book. TOTALLY IGNORE the chickens. Do it for at least a half hour at a time, at least once a day, for some days. You will see a difference

GOod luck, have fun,

Pat

 

Treats are great! Shake some scratch in a cup or can before you give it to them; this will teach them that not only are you the bearer of food but also to come running when they hear the rattle.
Also you need to hold them a LOT. They will indeed struggle at first, but hold on until you are good and ready to put them down. This enforces your position as leader, or rooster. Holding them is the best way to tame them; hold each several times a day.
We have held ours a lot since they were chicks, and now they come running when we call "giiirls!" ad follow us around. Good luck!

 

You might try letting them get a little hungrier than usual. When I train our dog, I feed him a little less in the morning. That evening when it's time to train him, he is willing to solve quantam physics equations to get that little treat that I have for him.

 

As many have suggested, a way to a chicken's heart is through their stomach. Fact!?!

Sometimes what I do is I keep food by me, and if they still ignore me, I start "digging" in the ground, acting very interested in what I am doing. Do this for a while, and sooner or later, your chickens will get inquisitive, and will eventually come very close to you. Make sure you do this long enough until they come, and then reward them by giving them some of the food you have.

It works with my chickens.

But then again, my chickens have been tame since babies, so they know me very well.

I hope this helps.

 

I agree with the other posts. The best way to a chicken’s heart is through its stomach. I would sit with mine and have plenty of their favorite treats. Treats will get you everywhere. After awhile they would jump in my lap for treats. My birds LOVE bread.

 

You're doing all the right things, keep up the good care! You've gotten a lot of good advice to help endear yourself to your flock. Now all you can do is try it & be patient.

There are some breeds, and some individual chickens, who will never enjoy being held or petted, not even if you were St Francis of Assisi. Others can be persuaded to have their wariness diminished around you, and some will act like lap dogs right from the start.

Continue to give them the good care & attention you've been supplying, and take more time to just sit among them with some tasty treats. In time I hope you will find at least a few that will enjoy being held & petted by you. When I hold my hens I'll gently scratch, stroke & pull the feathers at the back of their heads, where the rooster holds on during mating. They seem to like that.