Trying to tame and raise rescued game chicks and mama

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vikingchickens

In the Brooder
Sep 7, 2017
16
11
36
Dahlonega, GA
Hello from northern GA,. My story is my son came home last spring a year ago with 7 wild game hens and let them loose in our neighborhood which is wooded with acre lots in north GA mountain foothills near Dahlonega. We have fed them every day, at times, as they wander large areas and often have not been around, so food piles up. Mid summer they began coming back around pretty much daily. Two of the previous original 7 have with them 5 babies from this past spring...2 males and 3 hens. 2 weeks ago, I was watching movies in the study/p.c. room and at 1 am heard this blood curdling chicken scream outside the window. I ran outside, saw her still outside the study window and when she saw me she then ran back to the northeast side of the house near where we feed them. I followed her realizing that it was grouse, who we had not seen in over a year. she was frantic and I was trying to calm her down when I heard a noise behind me, turned and shined the light to see an opossum...with feathers around it. It was munching on something. I kicked in the face and it ran off. I saw 2 dead chicks. I went back and tried to calm her down. She had lost several tail feathers from the possum attack. All of a sudden, out of the tall grass emerged 3 baby chicks (just days old) about 2 to 3 feet away from me and mama Grouse. I went and grabbed a cat kennel and put Grouse inside. She didn't peck me, then picked up the 3 baby chicks and put them in. Anyway, they have been living in our master bathroom now for 2 weeks and are healthy and happy and curious. We have purchased a coop and have it put together. Just need to weatherproof and anchor. Now, enter Irma. I am a city man though when I was a kid would go to my grampa's farm which had over 300 laying chickens over 3 barns. No training how to raise them as pets including how to entice them to return to coop for protection at night all the other game hens roost in a tree. Can anyone offer guidance? thank you.
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC! :frow

I am sorry for the losses. :hugs Games can be a bit skiddish overall. Good luck with the new family! Definitely do as rjohns39 has suggested, when you do get them outside, lock them in the coop for several days to a week. Birds return to the place they learn keeps them alive. If they survive the first days and nights in their new coop, they learn fast that this is home and will always return to safety. If you don't do this, they will most likely disappear.

Good luck and welcome to our roost! :)
 
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I would do as the others say also placing them all into the coop and spending as much time as you can with them. You may want to put a run also around the coop and make it predator proof using hardware cloth. Make sure there is also a top on it so the possum don't get any more of the chicks. It knows they were there and can come back. So you want to make sure the coop and run is very secure. Best of luck.
 
Mine free range during the day light hours and go in the coop at night. I never move the feed dish out!!!! I will switch out so I can clean feed container. This way the associate the cool with food. When I switch feed containers at night and their water is full I will tell them to go to bed. Most nights it works like a charm.

Best of luck, please always put up no hunting signs. Expecially this time of year.

If all else fails mine can go running for the coop if I put melon in the coop.
 
Hi! I have been finding that the best way to tame birds in general seems to be to hang around them a lot; when you're feeding them or whatnot, sit down somewhere and let them come to you. If they don't, don't push it. Another thing that helps is coming with special treats that you only give to them when you sit down with them. If they aren't keen on taking food out of your hand, try tossing the treats closer to them. Keep in mind that this might take a couple weeks, or a couple months. Just be patient and soon they will flock around you when you come to see them. Hope this helps you! Good luck and let me know if you have anymore questions regarding taming them.
 
Peace Love Hens said:
Hi! I have been finding that the best way to tame birds in general seems to be to hang around them a lot; when you're feeding them or whatnot, sit down somewhere and let them come to you. If they don't, don't push it. Another thing that helps is coming with special treats that you only give to them when you sit down with them. If they aren't keen on taking food out of your hand, try tossing the treats closer to them. Keep in mind that this might take a couple weeks, or a couple months. Just be patient and soon they will flock around you when you come to see them. Hope this helps you! Good luck and let me know if you have anymore questions regarding taming them.
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TY for the very nice welcome and info they love mealworms and sunflower, pumpkin seeds (hard to find raw so limit roasted) also love corn on the cobb and fruit. They will take the seeds and mealworms and berries out of my hand including mama "grouse". we are now waiting for Irma to pass and so they will be in house 3 weeks before moving to 80 inch by nearly 2 ft. enclosure including run. This will be fine for only this mom and her 3. Have a lean to built againt side of house. Plan to close off one open side and somehow entice more of wild flock to take shelter at nights and possibly when brooding. Game hens are not too keen on having their eggs gathered from nest outside coop. We figure this is why first group of seven siblings left over year ago.

These are plans...your input makes this plan come into fruition...keep sending the fruit of your experience...knowledge and great advice/insight!
 

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