New to chickens

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lilfiish

lilfiish

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6 Years
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Oct 23, 2013
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My partner and I decided to keep chickens this year. We have 3 16 week old Warrens that free range during the day and sleep in a coop at night. We've had them a couple of days and we're already in love with them!
They seem a little hesitant. We are trying not to upset them or get to close and frighten them but they seem to stick together in one corner of the garden and not move much. Is this normal?

Great forum- we've learned lots already!
 
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they need time to adjust to you. In the time before you took them, they probably didn't receive much interaction with humans. So they are fearful - you can ease into their good graces by offering them some treats. For instance pick a time you will be able to visit them daily. Pick a treat, dinner scraps, black oil sun flower seeds, meal worms - whatever, and dispense them . Maybe you could announce your visit with "Mama's here," or "Hey Chickies," anything but use the same words each time. This way they will come to realize you will behave in a certain manner that was pleasurable to them.

Once they get brave enough to come closer for treats, you could start sitting on the ground and dispensing some. Sooner or later a chicken will get brave enough to climb in your lap, or snatch treats from your hand or bucket. Don't deliberately reach for them yet but, maybe accidentally your hand might come in contact with them. After one is bold the others will become more brazen. It just takes patience - chickens love humans bearing treats. Just don't overdo it or they will turn up their beaks up at the nutritional feed they should be eating.
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Welcome to BYC
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Glad you joined us! Drumstick Diva gave you very good advice. Best of luck with them.
 
Thanks all, that sounds like great advice. We've just given them some meal worms for breakfast and had a little chat. They don't seem overjoyed at the great British weather this morning. (But then, who is?!)
 
First - Welcome to the flock! Second - Give them time to adjust and you will get out of them what you put into them. Third - You should get LOTS of eggs from them.
 

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