UN SCARING baby chickens

[speedbird]

Hi I have a problem, when ever I open the door to my 3 week old baby chicken coop, the scream like hell and run and hide Any advice to UNSCARE them?

 

[Duckopolis]

Um.. not quite sure what you mean by "unscare" them. Chickens are wild, and it is their instinct to be scared of everything. To make it a little calmer, you could open the door slowly. You could also talk to them a lot so that they get to know your voice. Once they know it, you could them talk to them before you open the door so that they know you are coming. Good luck!!

 

[ArtGirl]

What I like to do is get in the pen and neal down. Then I what for them to calmly walk up to me. After a short time I get out a treat like apple and start feeding it to them so they associate me with treats.

 

[Duckopolis]

What I like to do is get in the pen and neal down. Then I what for them to calmly walk up to me. After a short time I get out a treat like apple and start feeding it to them so they associate me with treats.

x2

 

[3riverschick]

Hi I have a problem, when ever I open the door to my 3 week old baby chicken coop, the scream like hell and run and hide Any advice to UNSCARE them?

Here's a BYC thread with lots of good advice!!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/474333/how-do-i-make-my-chicks-like-me-haha
Best,
Karen

 

[ChickenLegs13]

Rattle the feed bucket & call to them and it won't be long before they mob you when you open the door.

 

[kitfoxdrvr]

If they can't see you before you open the door, this and other announcements that you are coming are good ideas. Always talk to them when you are approaching. Remember, much like a horse, everything you see as a chicken that is moving is either mommy or it wants to EAT you. Default is that it wants to eat you. So try to be mommy! Food and soothing sounds, not suddenly appearing outside their door. Don't be my cute avatar!

 

[speedbird]

Another problem, all but three of them had spent there life with 0 human contact due to them being behind a net where we had some meat birds in front. Also, due to the design in the coop they can run into a corner so far away from me that I can not reach them!

 

[Soltaria]

My chicks freak out when I open their brooder too but I find it's mostly because the chicken wire over the top makes loud clanking metallic noises when I open it. Also the new Guineas (not to be confused with the country ) freak out way more than the chicks do which makes everyone else freak out because they are substantially bigger than everyone else and I think the chickens have imprinted a kind of mommy figure on them. They like to sit on their backs and cuddle with them. So if "mommy" is freaking out everyone goes bat poo.

I find when I pop in and talk to them a little while before opening it they calm down a lot but as soon as it makes that noise the Guineas shoot to the other side of the brooder and all the chicks freak out with them.

 

[speedbird]

Generally, its one chick trampling on the other that starts it