Scaredy-chicks....

[Vikinglike]

Crazy question.
My chicks are two weeks, they’re really skidish with any noises.
If I sneeze, you’d think a grenade blew up in their brooder! They dive and hide under anything they can. I can’t even vacuum in the room...
My question is, in a couple months they’ll be outside in their coop and run.
How are they going to handle thunder, lawn mower and tractor noises?
Will they just adapt, or continue to freak out?
Thanks.

 

[azygous]

If it's only sudden noises that have your chicks skittish, that's completely normal. You and I both are startled by a sudden noise we aren't anticipating.

As chicks grow in experience with their world, they won't be as startled into panic as they are now. In fact, after the sudden noise, any chicken will very quickly become used to it. I can take my loud shop vac into the run, turn it on, and in just half a minute, the chickens go back to their important business at hand, completely ignoring the noise.