To Gain Trust or to Lose it

[gotta_start_somewhere]

Hi! Newbie here.
I have been trying to earn trust with my 8 week old chicks. I gained some ground. half of them would let me pet them. One (Buckbeak) jumps into my hand whenever I had treats. Most of them hate being picked up and every time I need to get them (like to put them back in their coop in the evening) It feels like I lose ground I gained. Yesterday my most skittish pullet was a real challenge to get back in the coop. I ended up chasing her around for like a half hour while she wailed for her friends and tried to teleport through the wall, instead of going in the door. Today all but Buckbeak run and hide whenever I try to feed them.
Am I missing something obvious? Is there a better way to coop train them? Better way to get them when I want to do a health check? Will I be able to earn trust back again?

Teach me your ways!

 

[nuthatched]

Just take them off the roost at night to check them. It helps to sit with them.

 

[gotta_start_somewhere]

Just take them off the roost at night to check them. It helps to sit with them.

Thank you!

 

[MrsNorthie]

Hi! Newbie here.
I have been trying to earn trust with my 8 week old chicks. I gained some ground. half of them would let me pet them. One (Buckbeak) jumps into my hand whenever I had treats. Most of them hate being picked up and every time I need to get them (like to put them back in their coop in the evening) It feels like I lose ground I gained. Yesterday my most skittish pullet was a real challenge to get back in the coop. I ended up chasing her around for like a half hour while she wailed for her friends and tried to teleport through the wall, instead of going in the door. Today all but Buckbeak run and hide whenever I try to feed them.
Am I missing something obvious? Is there a better way to coop train them? Better way to get them when I want to do a health check? Will I be able to earn trust back again?

Teach me your ways!

When we moved our babies to the coop for the first time, we started sitting out with them every night, until it started getting dark and they naturally gravitated to the coop. We also moved their brooder heater to the coop while it was still a little chilly out.

This, of course started the habit of going down to the run after work every night and topping off their feed, giving them treats, tidying up and just being with them, in general. I kept them in my office until they were fully feathered and talked to or sang to them all day, every day for weeks, I also handled them all from day one, multiple times a day, so they were just used to me. I have some that still jump up on my lap after evening meal and snacks, just for a cuddle. (as you can see from my profile pic, sometimes they all jump on me at once..)

Try just sitting with them, feeding them by hand and seeing if they gravitate towards the coop as the light fades.