Skittish Chicks and another question

[lzeynep]

My three silkie chicks are really skittish. They are hard to catch and flap their wings all over the place when I do catch them. They are scared of almost everything, but they still sleep on me sometimes when I put them on me. Will they always be like this? And what can I do for them not to be scared of me?

And my other question is: When can I let my chicks out of their brooder? They are 2 and a half weeks old and the average temperature this week is 60-70 F.

THANKS

 

[hitchiechicks]

I didn't let mine out until 3 weeks and then it was in an enclosed area of the yard, I stayed with them and it was for short amounts of time as long as it was warm enough. I moved them totally out of the brooder once they got all their feathers, it was warmer and I knew they could tolerate a cool night (50 degrees at night). When they were about 1-2 weeks old I started giving them treats from my hand. They like oatmeal, meal worms, chopped craisens. I did this every other day and I picked them up daily and held them until they calmed down. Now at 6 weeks they come pecking at me looking for treats and the roost on my shoulder. They are still skidish at times but that is natural for chickens. Just like any animal it takes time and patience.

 

[tcstoehr]

It has been much the same for me. I think reaching down into the brooder is always going to be frightening for them. When I moved them to their coop and started feeding them dried mealworms out of my hands, they now show no fear of getting close to me. Although I'm sure that touching them or picking them up would still freak them out. I think it just takes large doses of continuous exposure to human contact before they accept it. But I'm just guessing at this point.