Taming up Chicks

[Blue]

This past weekend I purchased 2 chicks from a seller at a local feed and seed store, one silkie and one white feather-footed chick that has yet to be identified.

They appear to be 3 or 4 weeks old and are a bit on the skittish side. I've been trying to handle them frequently and take them out of their little pen to roam in the yard a bit, but they seem to not really want anything to do with me. I can hold them after a bit of a fight, but I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for making "lap chickens," or do I just need to keep handling them?

 

[Gonzo]

Just keep at it! They will come around.. Treats are helpful too. If they can associate you are the one that brings the good stuff, they'll take quicker

Good Luck!

 

[jujubean99]

A lot of handling is always a good idea and another thing you can do is hand feed them. Just take some food and hold it in your hand and let thm come to you. I have taught my chickens to come to their names and when they see me they will come running over and jump in my lap. When they realize I don't have food they will get a little mad and leave, but I find it helps with the socialization!

 

[Jen71]

This is great advice. I read this here about a week ago.
I've been using the "treat" idea and now 2 out of 4 chicks run to me when I am near them. They climb up on my legs, rest in my lap, etc. It's fabulous.
The other two are learning slowly that I bring the goodies, so it is working very well so far.
Good luck!

 

[Blue]

Thanks for the advice. The white one has taken some starter feed from my hand, but the silkie seems to think I have the plague as it just looks at me and then proceeds to look for its own food.

What kinds of treats would you recommend? We give our big chickens table scraps, crumbled up bread, etc., along with their regular feed. Would crubled up corn bread or biscuits be a good treat for the chicks, or should I just stick to their feed for now? I noticed one of them pecked at an ant the other day and then shook its head around like it was the most horrible thing in the world, but they seem to like pecking at the grass in the yard, so maybe I'll try pulling a bit of grass for them, or getting some from the grass catcher after the yard's been mowed.

 

[jujubean99]

I just feed them their chick starter and feed my big chickens whatever I happen to be eating when I go outside to see them (sometimes they eat my food without my consent) but some folks I know feed their chickens mealworms which are like little wriggling grubs and I hear the chicks love them for it, but I don't do worms (to slimy and gross). Also you can put yogurt in the chick starter and that might entice them to eat it

 

[Jen71]

There is a great thread on here about treats for chicks. I'm not sure exactly what it is called, but I just read it last week. Fabulous ideas!
I have given them mashed up hard boiled egg and some chopped up cooked spaghetti noodles and they LOVE IT!
I guess you have to be careful that you don't fill them up on treats - they need to eat their starter pellets so they have a balanced diet.
But the treats sure are fun.

 

[Woods_Woman]

You cant go wrong with a mashed up boiled egg, they go nuts, mine do anyway. The way to the chickens heart is thru it stomach.