Nervous chicks... Received April 1

[Panhandler80]

Have 21 of them in adequate space with plans to expand brooder soon, or move to coop with heat source if weather dictates.

Did not handle them at all during first 24 hrs, and only minimal handling shortly thereafter.

We talk gently, move slowly around them and try to tower over them as infrequently as possible. Anyway, they are two weeks today and super healthy, but skittish as all get out. You can forget about trying to hold one or get to feed from hand.

Did we mess up by not interacting more initially. I thought I was doing right by staying away so as not to stress them.

Maybe they'll warm up to us once they have more space and we began offering treats???

An assortment of breeds. So really just a generic question.

 

[briarandwillow]

Mine are the exact same way. Hatched 4/1 and handled at least twice a day since. They were initially ready to accept it and fell asleep, rode on my shoulders, etc, but as time has gone on they've become more and more skittish of me.

 

[Panhandler80]

Well, we didn't even do that early on. I bet we held five of them total, on separate occasions, and each time for no more than a couple minutes.

Will see

 

[ColoradoPip]

Spend time around them without reaching for them. Sit in their room and take phone calls. Talk to them every time you walk by. Sit with the brooder door open and lay your arm down inside. Maybe even put some food in the open palm of your hand. Just let them come to you, they eventually will, at a minimum for the food. Sometimes I lift my arm a few inches off the brooder floor to give them a perch, they love it. Stay still and don't reach for them as much as you want! Let them decide to come to you

After doing that a couple of times, then I put a finger out and give them neck and head pats and rubs, under wing rubs, and such. Some like it some don't. All of them have gotten used to me and come see me though, so it must work a little

Keep doing this and before you know of they'll be flying out of the brooder to perch on you! Just like with kids, keep loving them and when they grow up they recognize it

 

[Panhandler80]

Spend time around them without reaching for them. Sit in their room and take phone calls. Talk to them every time you walk by. Sit with the brooder door open and lay your arm down inside. Maybe even put some food in the open palm of your hand. Just let them come to you, they eventually will, at a minimum for the food. Sometimes I lift my arm a few inches off the brooder floor to give them a perch, they love it. Stay still and don't reach for them as much as you want! Let them decide to come to you

After doing that a couple of times, then I put a finger out and give them neck and head pats and rubs, under wing rubs, and such. Some like it some don't. All of them have gotten used to me and come see me though, so it must work a little

Keep doing this and before you know of they'll be flying out of the brooder to perch on you! Just like with kids, keep loving them and when they grow up they recognize it

That all makes sense. Brooder is in the garage, along with my shop, so I've been coming and going quite a bit while working on the coop / run. I've made a point of talking to them each time I pass, but there hasn't been much prolonged talking / sitting with them simply due to a lack of time. 9 mo old baby, coop project and job have taken up all the free time. Also the brooder walls are 2' tall and solid plywood, so laying next to it wouldn't too much good... not that I'd really be all that excited about laying down on the garage floor anyway.

Brooder has gotten me to thinking... they've never seen anything other than those plywood walls, the heat lamp and the garage ceiling. Should I take a handful outside every now and then and let them see something different?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Brooder has gotten me to thinking... they've never seen anything other than those plywood walls, the heat lamp and the garage ceiling. Should I take a handful outside every now and then and let them see something different?

Yup, as long as the space is pretty secure and/or someone's around to supervise.

This is why I like having some open sides on a brooder - some people do plexi or glass, or wire for ventilation. Chicks are less nervous if they can see you coming from the sides rather than reaching in from above.

 

[MommA2K]

Ours were hatched just a day before yours! I’m staring to see more and more of their personalities and there’s one in particular that doesn’t like to be handled much. We only have four though so it’s easier to give them all attention. We also have the brooder in our living room and five boys to boot, so I think the poor chicks are probably used to the craziness by now anyways, my advice is just keep giving them attention and talking to them, they’ll come around! I read they really like whistling, and low and behold ours do too! They want to investigate the sound immediately.

It’s hit or miss with mine it seems, last night they were all interested in me.

 

[Mamatomany123]

Ours was super skittish when we first got them. I went out to them multiple times a day and sat with them, talked to them, and held them. They now all come running when I go to their run. This is Dorothy. She hopes up to her swing and wait patiently for me to put out my hand and allow her up in my shoulder. Some days I dont let her just so she knows it's my decision.