Skittish Chicks

[mrsgibber]

Hi Everyone. I just brought home 3 1/2 - 4 week old chicks last night. They are sooooo incredibly cute. However, everytime I reach into the brooder to pick one up they all freak out. They we never handled before I got them so I think they are just nervous. They seem to be curious about me and will walk right up to the open door of the brooder to check me out but if I reach up they scamper to the far corner.

Do you think they will mellow out after a bit? I am trying to pick each one up and petting to try and get them to bond with me and the kids.

By the way, the breeds are:

2 Golden Comets - female
1 Black Sexlink - female
1 Ameraucana (I always spell this wrong!) - female
1 White Silkie - don't know sex
1 Belgian Quail Antwerp - don't know sex

 

[sherrydeanne]

Yep, they're skittish by nature. One trick I've found is that I put my hand down low in one corner, and then come towards them from the bottom. Seems to scare them less than the 'monster from the sky'

 

[mrsgibber]

LOL, monster from the sky, I guess I can see it from their prospective now.

 

[Chicken Paradise]

Some of my week-old cornish X will just sit there when I reach in, I think it's because they're so big and lazy. Actually, it makes me worry when they DON'T run around, as this seems to be their nature! They will eventually calm down, though.