PLEASE HELP I DON"T KNOW WHAT TO DO

[black_cat]

The chickens aren't scared of me now! I wish I could actually, ya know, sit with them, but they no longer move away from my hand at all.

 

[RobertaD1]

I guess, stay at it then. Maybe give it a day or two, and when they see your commitment, they will come around. To bad you dont have access to your account, but, maybe they will come around. Give them time. As they start to enjoy them, they will see the need.

 

[aart]

I don't think that I'll be able to get both kennel and chunnels. Which should I focus on?

Definitely the kennel.
Chunnels are cool, but don't really fit your need.

 

[black_cat]

Definitely the kennel.
Chunnels are cool, but don't really fit your need.

Ok, sounds good. I'm just going to not mention it at all and just be *very* greatful sounding in the next few days so maybe they'll come around??

 

[aart]

I'm just going to not mention it at all and just be *very* greatful sounding in the next few days so maybe they'll come around??

I'm not going to comment on a parent/child issue...
....now that I know that's what it is.
You wouldn't like what I have to say anyway.

 

[black_cat]

My plan for fixing up the run doesn't seem to be working, as right at the time everyone else's birds go to roost, mine are in the run having a chicken party. Do you guys think that getting them in the playpen (with a tarp over it) would be good, so we could access the coop and the run without worrying about them escaping? How could I get it so that I can refill the food and water if the food and water are in the run? *still is very annoyed that the chicken people didn't let us set up at all* I'm trying *very hard* to train them and get them to like me, but it's really hard to do when I can't go inside with them. Any ideas?

 

[TopazMaster91]

Re: If you're looking to make a larger area around their living space (which I'd hugely recommend, I feel bad for them being stuck so close together) you can check the local free section on Craigslist for wood, fencing material, ANYTHING that can be repurposed, and even if the end result would look knocked together and junky, you could probably build a border fence with little to no cost. Other options are dumpster diving at construction sites/subdivisions being built, or asking for scrap wood at Home Depot / Lowes that they would ordinarily toss out anyway. Just a couple ideas. With just a few 2x4's and some kind of fencing material, you can easily make a super low cost border fence.

 

[TopazMaster91]

My plan for fixing up the run doesn't seem to be working, as right at the time everyone else's birds go to roost, mine are in the run having a chicken party. Do you guys think that getting them in the playpen (with a tarp over it) would be good, so we could access the coop and the run without worrying about them escaping? How could I get it so that I can refill the food and water if the food and water are in the run? *still is very annoyed that the chicken people didn't let us set up at all* I'm trying *very hard* to train them and get them to like me, but it's really hard to do when I can't go inside with them. Any ideas?

Do it all at night, when they're asleep- it will be much easier.
With such a small setup you will have a few difficulties doing these things no matter what, even if they were absolutely fearless of you. Doing things while they sleep will at least make things a bit simpler. Other options are blocking off the hole to the coop from the inside while they're in the run, then herding them into the coop and blocking the hole from the outside.
To get them to like you, treats are the best, 100% sure way.
My chickens charge me if they even catch a glimpse of me 30ft away.

 

[black_cat]

Do it all at night, when they're asleep- it will be much easier.
With such a small setup you will have a few difficulties doing these things no matter what, even if they were absolutely fearless of you. Doing things while they sleep will at least make things a bit simpler. Other options are blocking off the hole to the coop from the inside while they're in the run, then herding them into the coop and blocking the hole from the outside.
To get them to like you, treats are the best, 100% sure way.
My chickens charge me if they even catch a glimpse of me 30ft away.

For getting stuff in the coop, I've been able to block off the door to the run if there's someone else distracting them. They've stopped being afraid of my hand, and I'm trying to treat train them. the problem is, I've never been able to actually have physical contact with them-I've never been able to pet them or pick them up. I really want to build some sort of thing for around the coop-maybe just 2x4s and some netting? Not to be predator proof, but just as a safety net if they get out, and some time out of the coop. I"m working on my parents with that, albeit badly as I'm really terrible at dealing with people. I'm having trouble getting them to make the connection that a certain sound means that they are getting treats, which would make me less worried about them getting out, as I could summon them back that way.

 

[NatJ]

My main issue right now is that I don't understand their logic on turning this down? It has no cons for them?

...check the local free section on Craigslist for wood, fencing material, ANYTHING that can be repurposed, and even if the end result would look knocked together and junky, you could probably build a border fence with little to no cost.

Perhaps the parents are afraid they will end up with a junky-looking structure in the yard.

Other possible reason for objections:
--maybe black_cat has a record of not following through with projects, or not finishing them. The parents might think this is true, even if it is not true.

--some people have a hard time visualizing new things, but don't want to try something until they know what it looks like. If the parents are this way, then they would be uncomfortable with anything that might get built, but were able to deal with "rent a coop that looks like that" (which they did give permission for.)

--maybe the parents are unsure whether they, or their children, will want to have chickens as a long-term project. The idea of owning nothing, and just returning the chickens and coop at the end, would seem very attractive in that case (no "junk" to get rid of whenever the people are all tired of the chickens.)

--maybe the parents know someone else whose child wanted chickens, and it did not go well, so they are assuming that the same will happen with their own child. They might well be wrong, but there is no way for them to know that yet.

@black_cat I am NOT asking you to tell us more about your parents--none of us want you to share personal information over the internet. These are ideas for what your parents MIGHT be thinking to make them act the way they do.