So, this is flighty, huh? (hatched Hamburg chicks terrified of me.)

[playingchicken]

I am not particularly bothered by it, but my 8 day old Golden Penciled Hamburgs, that I hatched in the incubator did not do the "imprint" thing that I thought they might.

Every time I go in the brooder box (several times a day for various reasons) they freak (there are just two) and run fast and try to fly out. I can manage to catch them and handle them daily, but they act more like a wild bird than a chicken (of the three chickens I have personal experience with, LOL.)

When they get older I am wondering how the heck I will be able to "herd" them back to a pen if I let them range in the yard a bit or if I am going to have to have them confined forever because they would run off otherwise.

Anyone experiences anyone cares to share? I did read they were "flighty" before I got the eggs off of eBay but I think I was thinking they would tolerate me a bit more, especially since I hatched them myself.

 

[Smoky73]

Its common for chicks to go through a stage of being terrified, even though you are the one that feeds and waters them. All of mine are terrified of me when they are babies, Silkies included and that is so not how they act when they get big.

I herd all of my birds inside by walking around them and saying "okay, go in the house" repeatedly, and they do it, they know.

The only birds I have had that were not terrified of me as chicks have been my exhibition Rhode Island Reds. They are curious and friendly and calm. I hope they are girls!