New Hens Standoffish About People

[CapeReds]

We got our hens about four days ago from a friend of my wife who had a bunch. We never had chickens before. The girls are kind of afraid of people. Three will take bread from my hand but only very cautiously while the other two will not be hand fed at all. Our neighbors hens will just about mall you if you have treats and feel right at home pulling up to the table wih you to see whats for dinner.

Any advice on getting them over this so that we can let them free range and be able to call them back in to the run or bribe them with treats.

 

[secuono]

Two words, TIME & TREATS! If you just sit in their run and toss out scratch and stay still. Over time, they will get used to you, some breeds are more shy/flighty than others.

 

[N&MSchroeder]

I agree with the other posts! They need time to get used to their new environment. Chickens really don't do well with change.

 

[Barnmaradotte]

Raisins! I read a thread on here about raisins as treats and tried it today. even my most shy and flighties were in my lap. And I have 15 chickens. Its hard to bond with that many chickens.

 

[Nonny]

I got our three used to me by going out there with them and picking weeds out of the lawn. I think they saw me as rather large weird looking mother hen. I spent around 20 minutes, twice a day, sitting on the lawn picking at it and over the course of a week they went from staying well away from me, to hovering near me, to climbing into my weed bucket to eat the ones I'd pulled out of the ground, and finally to eating them straight out of my hand.

 

[nurseshelly]

Quote:
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Mine's favorite treats are bread, grape leaves and weeds, and the very most favorite is meal worms!!! Mine practically maul me too, like your friend's do ... they know I'm the treat lady