Quote: My orps used to run away from me until they were about two months old, now they run toward me. They figure out who is feeding them and get a bit calmer but if you are wanting to have them as pets, you should probably handle them alot and feed them out of your hand.
Its always funny how terrified chicks are of humans. When we opened the brooder house door our chicks would scatter to the corners. As juveniles, they are under foot and you can not get to their feeder without stepping on someone. There is plenty of room in their 4'x8' grow out coop and 25'x50' pasture. I use ally send the kids in to get the feeder and I fill it from the fence. At least then its a 25-40# kid stepping on them instead of my 200+#.
We start all chicks in a clear brooder tote in the house for about two weeks. Then move them to the brooder house. When fully feathered they move to the grow out pen. The kids and I handle them all the time. It may just be a stage they go through. Eventually they grow into full grown birds that stand at the gate when they hear us step out of the house.
A full grown Buff Orpington male looks funny begging like a puppy at the gate!
On another subject....
Bob Blosl brought this up on the Heritage thread. The Cornell Online Library Poultry books. I know we have seen this before, but maybe some of the newbies have not. Hope everyone enjoys reading it.
Fowls for the times. The history and development of the Orpington fowl (1896)
http://archive.org/details/cu31924090115159
Author: Cook, William, 1849-1904
Subject: Orpington chicken
Publisher: St. Mary Cray, Kent
Language: English
Digitizing sponsor: MSN
Book contributor: Cornell University Library
Contributor usage rights: See terms
Collection: cornell; americana
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keep looking!
