Socializing Chicks?

[hpyfmly]

Hi there! Just recently I, and the rest of my family, after much research and consideration, purchased our first flock of chicks. So far they are great fun to watch and are doing quite well health wise. However, I couldn't help but notice how friendly some BYC members' chicks are! Mine just seem terrified of me every time I put my hand in the brooder to clean it, change the water or feed, etc. They crowd in, what I like to call, their safe corner. I'm afraid that, because of their fear, they'll end up suffocating one of the smaller chicks (there are two that seem just a tad but younger than the others). I would love for them to loose their fear of me, as it would prevent any unfortunate accidents from occurring. Earlier I did try treating them with a hard boiled egg yolk (taken from one that I had eater, I don't like the yolks ) and a few are it off my fingers but they still crowded in a corner. Is there anything else I can do? Advice would be great!

 

[Odelia]

Here is an article on this topic. Hope it helps.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-socialize-baby-chickens

 

[gander007]

This is all normal and they will get use to you and it is really
hard to move anything in the brooder once the chicks loose
their fear of you and even harder as they get older and are
always under foot and dangerous for them as well because
you run the risk of steeping on them and this happens all
the time and not to mention coming in the house uninvited
so let them keep that fear as it will keep you from having
an accident with them .....

 

[gander007]

The hard boiled egg is great for them and it is great you are
giving them the egg as it helps out the immune system

 

[hpyfmly]

Here is an article on this topic.  Hope it helps.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-socialize-baby-chickens

Thanks so much for the article! It will be a huge help. I'm just worried that they will squish one another as they seem way overly fearful of me. I tried putting my hand in the brooder, as the article suggests, and they don't come anywhere near me and just stayed huddled in the corner. Should I try and put my hand in that corner to try and prevent them from fleeing straight there?[

This is all normal and they will get use to you and it is really
hard to move anything in the brooder once the chicks loose
their fear of you and even harder as they get older and are
always under foot and dangerous for them as well because
you run the risk of steeping on them and this happens all
the time and not to mention coming in the house uninvited
so let them keep that fear as it will keep you from having
an accident with them .....

I'm not really worried about them getting under foot so much as them becoming overheated or suffocated because of their crowding each other. Once they are old enough they will not be free ranging, they will be fenced in at all times.

 

[gander007]

Alright when you are not around the brooder are the chicks moving
around freely and away from the heat source if so all is going good
but also at three weeks of age the heat temp should be down around
80 to 85 degrees and if any hotter then that I personally would lower
the temp .....


Huddling is very normal and you shouldn't have much of a problem
at three weeks of age but if you have enough room you shouldn't
be having much of a problem ....


Wish you luck in all your poultry ventures ....

 

[hpyfmly]

Alright when you are not around the brooder are the chicks moving
around freely and away from the heat source if so all is going good
but also at three weeks of age the heat temp should be down around
80 to 85 degrees and if any hotter then that I personally would lower
the temp .....


Huddling is very normal and you shouldn't have much of a problem
at three weeks of age but if you have enough room you shouldn't
be having much of a problem ....


Wish you luck in all your poultry ventures ....

Yeah, they move around quite freely. They are only 1-2 weeks old (I think). We. Have two that are entering their second week and the rest are in their first. Thank you so much for the reassurance.

 

[gander007]

Quote:
Anytime, but if you have anymore concerns just ask ..

 

[subhanalah]

Some may disagree,but i just grab them and hold them until they calm down, then hold them close to me at which time they snuggle in and go to sleep.

 

[hpyfmly]

Some may disagree,but i just grab them and hold them until they calm down, then hold them close to me at which time they snuggle in and go to sleep.

.

I am doing plenty of that too! The egg yolk was a huge success though and I had several of them crawl across my palm and duck under my arm. It was so awesome. Now whenever I enter the room they look up at me expectantly and have stopped crowding to that corner! I am thrilled. No I don't feel like every time I check on them I am traumatizing them.

I do have one chick that I think will be harder to win over though. I picked him up to check him for sticky butt and he squawked and carried on and flapped his wings! It was almost pitiful!