Hello, Kathleen and Russ, welcome to Backyard Chickens!
Congratulations for becoming part of the flock! Patience is probably the hardest part of chicken taming, imo. Try to get them to eat from your hand first, then you can try petting them and picking them up gently. If they are impossible to catch even though they are friendly, you can grab them fast then gently touch them and feed them.
