Need to vent- I'm a little p.o at my chickens *sigh*

[goatkeepers]

First off, I realize that they are, indeed, chickens and not puppies, goat kids, kittens or anything like that. That said, I realize that about 95% of chickens won't run up to you with the grandest exuberance whenever you enter their coop, just waiting for you to pick them up and snuggle with them (and if you ARE one of those lucky chicken owners that has a chick that;s like that, don't rub it in! un Just kidding!

Tell me your secret!!

).
But come on... I can't get within about 3 feet of mine or else they will fling themselves against the hardware cloth that confines them in the coop, frantically trying to put as much space as possible between themselves and the huge, ferocious chicken-eating monster (that would be me. And I'm a vegetarian, for pete's sake!

). So instead of the usual Watermelon treat, I just cooked them oatmeal, figuring maybe they will come up to me when they see what scrumptious delicacies I have for them today. Nope. I sat there for quite a while-- total avoidance on their part. They will love it, as long as I'm not in the coop with them.

I've had them since they were about 2-3 days old and we handled them a lot. *sigh* I just don't get it. I'm the bringer of the food and treats-- they should love me!

Oh well, I guess I feel a bit better now after venting. It's just that everyother animal we have here is a lap animal. Even my goats (especially the kids

). Again, I don't expect the chickens to fight over who gets to sit on my lap, but it would be nice if they wouldn't act like I'm in there with a chainsaw, trying to cut their heads off.

Hopefully my BLRWs that are in the bator now will be friendlier, if they hatch. I'll be the first thing they see, so maybe they will bond more to me...

Thanks for letting me vent! I'm all done now.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Want some of mine? They all free range and mob me when I walk out the door.

Some will even fly up onto my shoulders or arms, sometimes my head.

 

[pookiethebear]

Try holding some feed/treats in your hand and stay real still. Their courisoty will get the better of them and they will investigate what you have. Once they learn that you are indeed not a scary monster

but the carrier of goodies they will love you.

Also do you walk up them in slience? Try talking/calling to them as you approach. You may just be startling them.

 

[ibpboo]

My older girls do not like being cuddled etc either. If they have to walk past me in the yard and they have to go real close to me, they will hesitate, then run for their life past me! One of them will squat and I can pick her up, but for the most part, I have to wait till they are roosting before I can handle them.
They do follow or come running when they see me come outside, treats treats!!
And when I do catch them, they are ok with it. They just look at me.

 

[ginbart]

My chickens run away from me too. Da**** chickens.

I don't give my chickens cooked oatmeal. I take it and give it to them right out of the box and they love it. My first hatch I gave them Honey comb cercel. I had to brake it into pieces. My first hatch are the ones that come running to me. And now they all do.

When you give them treats do you call then? I only call them when I'm giving treats and they know when I call them it's treat time.

Someone once told me you need to have your chickens come when you call them. But I don't think they told me how. But anyway I did it with treats. If you want to see something funny give them peas. My chickens eat them then clean off their beaks, sorry did I spell beak wrong?

hope you fell better now that you were able to vent.

 

[terry the teacher]

I have 2 little hens that come running towards me when I come outside. I think it's because they think I have a treat for them. I usually bring something out so they will love me ( I'm all about buying affection!). One hen will squat when I say "good girl" and the other tries to stay out of arm's reach. Last night I got them in their coop with a bribe of a bowl of yogurt. They were so busy trying to eat it that I was able to pick them and the bowl up and get them in fairly easily. So you could try bribing them with yogurt!

 

[goatkeepers]

Ginbart- cooked peas? That's a good idea. I'll also try the dry oatmeal. Yeah, I only call them when it's treat time. Doesn't work.

ChicknGurl, I'll trade ya for some of mine.

I'm too scared to let mine free range, I don't want the hawks to get them-- and I'm scared I won't be able to shoo them back into their coop when it's time for them to go back in.

Thanks for everyone else's sympathy! It helps.

 

[MiniDriver]

My chooks love me when I have bread in my hand. Any other time, they tolerate me.

They come running when I make kissy sounds, only out of hope for bread.

They hate being touched or stroked, though I've always been very gentle with them. If I pick them up, they fuss like I'm assaulting them.

Don't let it get you down. They're not rejecting you, they don't hate you. They just have their own personalities.

My cats pester me to pick them up, then they squirm to be put down almost immediately. Neither is a lap cat - one likes to lie on my chest with his front paws on my shoulder, the other is happy to snuggle on my feet. Different cats, different personalities.

 

[kinnip]

I have a good assortment of breeds, which is likely why I have a good assortment of personalities. Some run away when I approach. Some chase my feet. Some like to fly up onto my shoulder, head, chest or back (depends on how refined their flying skills are). Almost all of them will pitch a noisy fit when I pet them, but they don't go anywhere. They just skitter around under my hand making noises like I'm killing them. The only reason I can figure for their um..affection?...is the time I spent just sitting in front of the brooder talking to them. When I stopped chasing them trying to hold them, they lost a lot of fear and acquired a lot of curiosity.The ittie bitties I'm brooding now are handled twice a day when I bring them in and out of the brooder box. I talk to them a lot. A couple of them will come up to me, but they run when I reach for them. I'm hoping they'll decide I'm not a threat. We'll see.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Mine are pretty sweet girls...one of the girls has adopted my hubby lol He sits in the run with me and all the girls jump up on our laps...well all but the cochins...they can't make it!

I have handled them every day for 10 min from the first day they arrived. They didn't like me at first but they got to the point where they come running now when they see me.