skittish chicks

[caliclucker]

My 3 chicks are almost 2 weeks old and terrified of any human contact. I try to hold them everyday, talk to them etc. Their brooder is in my bedroom (I'm country that way) so they see people a lot. But everytime I get close to the brooder or open it to care for them they scatter like cockroaches, peeping like crazy. Is this something they will outgrow, or am I going to have chicken chickens??

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Chicken chickens, we have chickens like that, scared if you try and catch them but as soon as you hold them they are so calm

 

[wilbilt]

I would assume it is instinctive for them to be wary of large things looming over them. When I approach our brooder, there is a spot where the floor creaks. When they hear that, they all become silent and huddle down. As if, "If I don't move, you can't see me".

If I start to remove the cover, they run around peeping. Natural reactions, I'm sure.

 

[featheredroots]

Have you tried giving them treats out of your hand? Mine were skittish too, and still don't like to be held much, but when I started feeding them meal worms and seeds from my hand they became much more excited to see me. Sometimes I just sit with my hand in the brooder and let them climb on, and under it, they also like to peck at my wedding band. I don't try to pick them up, I just let them play, and it seems to have made them more comfortable with me.

 

[Mingming]

One thing I've found lately too... Don't put your hand straight down but slide it like on an angle (the natural reaction is fear from a predator if you loom over them from straight above). But after about 3 days of doing it they get used to you!

 

[captainmommy3]

mine r 2 weeks o.d and i have one that is like that but she got her leg hurt i am unsure how but it happend around 4 days old and she is all better now but i think sometimes that she relates human contact with having gotten hurt cus this happend like the day after i bought them.