this makes no sense.

[sheeshshe]

I raised my chicks with LOTS of love and attention and lots of handling and carrying them around. When they got to 8 weeks they no longer would let me hold them and I couldn't even catch them if I tried. They are 21 weeks now and I still can't hold them. MAYBE one I can get some of the time and she's ok, but all the others nothing, they act like I'm killing them.

Now my neighbors didnt' raise their chickens with all the love and affection with lots of holding and carrying them etc. they let them run free and they didn't get held much. Their chickens let them pick them up just fine. I just dont understand. I feel like I put all this effort into it to have pet chickens and they hate my guts.

What in the world happened here? I thought for sure they'd come around, but nope. nothing. Do I just have psycho chickens?

 

[Fruit Juice]

Have they started to lay yet? Mine were like that too, but as soon as they started laying, they would stop and let you pick them up. If they haven' started, just be patient. they will soon enough.

 

[Red&Yellow]

They're just teens...they have attitude.

I suggest you spend a lot of time feeding them by hand. My birds won't let me pick them up, now or ever, but they jump up on me when I crouch in their coop because of all the times we've hand-fed them. Also, are you calm and quiet in their coop? (I know, it sounds like a stupid question, but my dad just barges in there and they don't like him much. Esp the roos). Do you have roosters, and do your neighbors? Occasionally, roosters in the coop make the hens more docile and are used to people over top them. Hope it all works out for you!

 

[L*A*G*]

ok, first you should know chickens care about feed and feed never leaves their mind it seems like. anyway you should try feeding themwith your hand (if u can handle) or stand by their feeder for a while. it worked for me anyways.

 

[sheeshshe]

I'm always calm with them... I pet them in the coop when its bedtime

thats the only time they let me touch them anymore.

I don't have a rooster... my neighbors do however... perhaps thats the key?

They aren't laying yet. 2 look very close though. comb and wattles are huge and very very red..... and they're noisy! LOL!

 

[L*A*G*]

Quote:
r u sure they are hens? lol

 

[sheeshshe]

yes they're hens

I've posted SO many pictures of them throughout thier lives LOL! plus one is a sex-link LOL! the BO is def a hen though. she just got her wattles like that last week.... they came in really fast and now they're huge! i say huge because well they are huge compared to before