New (Clueless) Chicken Parents

poulsenj

In the Brooder
Jul 27, 2022
4
17
23
Hello, my chicken people!

We just purchased two 6-months-old Rhode Island Red hens (Ginger and Lolita) because we wanted new pets and we love fresh chicken eggs. Truthfully, we wanted three Brahma bantams, but are still not sure how to get those. We purchased "adults" because we feel we're not prepared to raise chicks at this point.

So far we don't have a favorite part of raising backyard chickens - neither is laying eggs nor going down the ladder to the run, and they sure do not seem to trust us (and I brush my teeth every day!) I feel we are letting them down and somehow not doing right by them. ☹️

Our family is small - me, my hubby, and our 15-year-old son. He's an amazing kid, so no teenager jokes. 😉 My husband is a high school English teacher (can't spell for beans but is an amazing writer), our boy is about to be a water polo-playing (just joined) high school sophomore (spells worse than his dad, but kicks tukas in math), and I am a middle school special education teacher. When not dealing with adorable 10th-12th graders 😆 the hubby is extremely handy and creative so is always working in the yard, making things, tinkering, and generally messing around. I love to swim and read (actual books) and get sucked into my hub's projects (I don't fight hard). And the boyo, well...he's on his computer with his friends, swimming and/or biking with those friends, and coding and/or building things. The three of us also looove to travel.

That was all likely more than you wanted to know, or will read...but there it is.

Enjoy the day, kiddos.
 
Welcome.
they sure do not seem to trust us
You might try hand feeding them, I'm sure that would warm them up to you. Doesn't have to be a special treat or anything, but it could be. Just offer them some food from your hand before you give them the feeder/fill the feeder/whatever your feeding process is. I only do that once in a while with soldier worms or diced banana peels, and most of my birds sprint towards me as soon as I step out the back door, just on the off chance I might have something for them.
 
Welcome to BYC!

It'll take time for them warm up to you but they will. Right now they are to stressed from the move to lay. This is normal. I'd start to expect eggs within the next month-month and a half.

You can look at online hatcheries for the bantams. This site has a lot of helpful information on raising baby chicks. If/when you get baby chick's, we'll be here if you need any help.
 

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