Scared Hens

[Chickygrammy6]

I bought 6 pullets last fall. One tuned out to be a rooster. They all run from me when i go into the fenced area outside their coop. I had chickens before that were so frienclly that they ran too me when i started toward them. What could be the matter with these hens?

 

[Mrs. K]

Some breeds are more flighty than others. If you want them friendly, put a chair in there and sit with a book or your phone, until they start to ignore you. Drop a little scratch and leave.

Day two - repeat, but once they start ignoring you toss the grain away from you. They are going to act like it was a bomb, but just sit quietly until they find it and eat it up. Then leave quietly.

Day three, once again, when they have relaxed, throw the grain a little closer to you. The reaction to the throw should be slightly less, and the recovery to find the treat quicker.

Day four. Sit down and wait a bit, then put feed within a foot of your own feet. Don't throw it this time, just pour it out.

Don't reach for them, don't try and catch them. Often times people will say, once I am holding them, they just snuggle in, but I don't think that is true. When prey is caught, a lot of time they pretend to be dead, sometimes that will throw the predator off, that gets excited by the conflict.

IMO - chickens really don't love people, but they do catch on to this person brings treats.

Mrs K

 

[Chickygrammy6]

Thank you, I will try that.