They don't like me very much

[franklinchickens]

I agree that the breed may have something to do with it. Our GLW like us well enough when we have treats, and are fine with being held or pet but don't seek it out. Our Easter Eggers, though, love to be held and will sit on our laps and follow us in the house if we'd let them. We have some new chicks - our Buff Orpington seems to fear us like we're going to pluck her feathers or something, the red sexlink is super friendly and the Polish is a complete spaz who likes to be cuddled if you can catch her. Go figure. All raised the same, together. I'd heard Buff Orps were friendly but ours doesn't seem to be for some reason. Kind of skittish compared to the others - not counting the Polish who is in a class of her own.

 

[franklinchickens]

Quote:
There's a whole treat chart on BYC but I have to say for my girls, they love cut up grapes, blueberries and watermelon. Plain yogurt is a huge hit, as are cheerios or unsweetened dry cereal. In winter, it's oatmeal.

 

[saucywomyn]

Mine like oatmeal, leftover rice, and fruit like grapes and cherries. But their favorite treat of all? Chicken scratch (cracked corn). They go for that first and then eat the other stuff I mentioned after the scratch is gone.

 

[astit2]

I found an awesome way to get even my scaredy cat easter egger to come to me....pinch a small piece of bread between your fingers. one or two chickens should come check it out, and start pecking around at it. they're just like the ducks at the park; feed them bread and they do whatever you want! so the important thing is to pinch the bread hard enough to were they can only get out a small little crumb at a time. this makes so they have to work for it, and they stay in that one spot longer. the other chickens notice this happening, and come in to investigate. when they see the other chickens pecking away at your hand, even the most timid ones will usually "monkey see, monkey do" and start pecking at your snack right alongside the other ones. this worked for my easter egger in less than ten minutes, i was amazed...it looked like that game "hungry hungry hippos" when i looked down at my hand, funny stuff

 

[SierraView]

Breed and personality is what I believe affects if they like you or don't.

I have a group of 12 bantam cochins 9 love me and 3 care less, they are 7 weeks old. Another group has 8 barnevelvers and 3 bantam cochins 1 month old they all seem wild. All were given same attention. I think the barnevelders made the bantam cochins more flighty in the second group. I also have some bantam cochins 5 days old under a broody that will come out to see me and jump in my hand.

Some breeds are not affectionate and some are. For me I think bantam cochins like being held and are a lap chicken. The large fowl love me for the treats I give. Taking from my hand and very cautious.

You can make a bird easier to handle by handling them a lot, but the affectionate ones seem to be that way right outta the egg.

 

[quintinp]

Quote:
i am not suggesting starving your chickens, but if you dont let them eat for the first half of the day, and then let them out and they see that you have food, your are their HARMLESS CARETAKER in their eyes lol, any chicken that gets hungry enough will put the differences aside, all my chickens even when they have been fed run to me, and think i have some popcorn or fruitloops for them, and then i will hold them all day long, and they dont squawl or gripe, they just sit there on my lap

 

[Nicole01]

Most leghorns are very skittish and do not like human contact. My friendliest breeds right now are my Mille Fluer D'Uccle, Golden Laced Wyandotte, Speckled Sussex, Cochin, One of my EE's, and Dark Brahma. All of them will jump in my lap, but the ones I have listed are always on top of me or anyone else in the coop. I've held them everyday since the next day from bringing them home. I've tamed my most skittsh ones, but I can not catch them. I have to wait until they jump on me. Last night dh was fixing the roost in the coop and all 8 of the chicks were trying to jump on him.

He's not a fan of the chickens in the first place. It was really funny to watch.

 

[hickchick55]

I agree, treats will make you much more interesting to them. I mix scratch and raisins in a canister and all I have to do is shake it and they all come running. I have a couple who like to hang out with us, and some take the treat and run. They will do anything for dried mealworms, but they are expensive.

 

[CYGChickies]

I agree that breed makes a huge difference. Most of my Austrolorps and Silkies come running as soon as they see my hand in the brooder. The keets run the other way though lol. I made sure to get two "tamer" breeds so I could hold them and handfeed them. Even the keets will ocassionally wander over to peck my hand when I'm holding food. Haven't started treats yet but they'll eat the starter from my hand and the Austrolorps already expect food whenever they see my hand. My turkeys however are still convinced I'm going to murder them every time I feed them. -sigh-

CYG

 

[tiny529]

Out of my 5 two-week-olds, 4 come running when I put my hand in but only 2 really seem to like to be held. My one EE loves to snuggle in my hair whereas my other EE runs away whenever I come near. I'm waiting for this silly teenager stage that everyone talks about where none of them will want anything to do with me!