What's Been Your Experience In Getting Chicks To Imprint On You?

[Spazzyyarn]

Quote:
Your post makes me feel so much better. I've been wondering if I was doing something wrong, my chicks just didn't seem to like me. They'll run and pile into a corner. I'm glad it is normal.

They do love their treats though. (Oh and sorry for just jumping in here. LOL)

 

[catdaddy66]

Give them more time and more interaction and they will soon change their tune! Mine were the same, but now more of them tolerate and (dare I say?) appreciate my presence. One had gotten out of the brooder last week and I knew because of the poop on the floor. Went to try to find her, and there she was on the rug near the feed eating some that had spilled. She saw me and went right back to scratching!

Made me feel good, and I placed her back in the brooder...

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

All the hatchery chicks I've gotten I didn't really try to tame them or anything some of the were kist friendly from the start and others were as wild as could be. I didn't know I had such sweet little hens until they were already laying! They would just come up and try to get my to pet them and others would just jump in my lap. But the most luck I've had with REALLY TAMING chicks is to hatch them under a broody then take 1 to tame down. The chick will bond with you very fast. I've had SO many chicks follow me around the house were ever I went and even when they were bigger that just loved to try and fly on my head EVERY time I go into the coop door. If you have very wild chicks you might try offering them treats or just picking 1 or so and really tame that one down. Best of Luck for you!

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

Some will trust you...Some will never trust you... and the rest will be all over you.

 

[redrocketrooster]

Quote:
Perfectly put!^

 

[mattindee]

About 15 years ago, I came upon a nest of mallard ducklings. The nest had been abandonded as it was at a school and the kids there had tortured the mother by throwing rocks into the nest. This finally scared the mother away. However, when I was over there playing on the equipment I happened to go over and check out the nest with curiosity. To my surprise I could hear peeping coming from four eggs that had managed not to be smashed by the rocks. I took them back across the street to our garage and we put a heat lamp on them. That night all four hatched, however, one of the ducklings died during the night. Out of the three remaining ducks, all three of them were imprinted on me. I could take them out of their cage and set them on the ground one by one, not worring they would run off. Once I said "Let's go" and started walking, they would follow me in a perfectly straight line. When I stopped, they would stop. Once I started walking again, they would do their best to keep up. I would have them follow me to the backyard where they could swim in a kiddy pool we set up for them. Once they got older, they quit following me, but they would stay in the backyard. They would approach us, etc if we were there and once it got closer to winter, they flew south. I do not know what happened to them, but it had to be the coolest childhood experience that I have ever had. Now, I teach high school Biology and we are hatching chickens!

 

[showjumper_girl2002]

I just hatched 5 little chicks sunday. I've interacted with them since they hatched. talking to them while they were still in the incubator fuzzing up and cuddleing daily ever since then. there are definitely some that are more cuddly than others . when they were only two days old they all seemed to enjoy sleeping on me and cuddling. now at 4 days old they seem to be a little more stand offish they don't run away or anything when I approach the brooder and if I stick my hand in they'll run up and peck at it, but if I go to pet or pick them up they either back up or scurry the other direction i'm hoping this doesn't mean they won't be tame and loving. sometimes I think it's more startling to them because i'm coming from above which is where a predator will come from

don't understand how in two days they don't seem to want to be handled and cuddled anymore. hopefully its just a phase lol can't wait till I can take them outside to see if they'll follow me like I've heard they will if they've imprinted. I also think that being that there is more than one plays a factor as well. when there's just one you are the only thing she has as a companion which I think might make it easier to get them to imprint on you. good luck with your little chicks!

 

[LTygress]

I don't think chickens actually "imprint" on you very easily. I have one that I call "buddy" because she always comes when called, or when she thinks I have food. But if I ever come outside without food, the rooster's hunt for food has her attention more.

She's tame though - I can pick her up, pet her, scratch her, carry her around and she doesn't squirm one bit. And if I lift logs and anything that might have bugs under it, she's more than willing to "follow" me. But again - it's only for food, or the idea of getting food.


Then I got my latest chick, "Chippy". Chippy is different. First, he's a bantam, which are great at flying. Second, he hatched alone and was not/could not be raised with any other chicks I had. He was too young for the older ones (got picked on) and too old for the younger ones (picked on them). So he has been alone for his entire life now - about a month. I have taken him outside to socialize with the other chicks, but he won't have it. He sticks with me.

What really got me on "imprinting" though, was when he gets scared, lonely, or gets picked on, he looks for me and follows my shoes. When we are outside, he does NOT get any treats from me. He gets all of his food himself, by pecking at the ground for bugs and plants. I don't do like I did with my others and flip things over that might house bugs underneath. He simply goes outside and gets placed on the ground. But I am his guardian, and he KNOWS it. Any sign of trouble what so ever will bring him flying to my feet. And if I'm sitting on the garden wagon, he will fly up to sit with me, then sit on my leg and preen himself.


There IS a difference between imprinting, and being tame. But there is also a difference between "training" an animal to do something (i.e. respond to treats or food), and the animal actually trusting you. Chippy has definitely imprinted on me, because he runs to me when he thinks he is in danger. THAT is absolute trust.

He also doesn't make the loud, annoying "lonely-chick" cry when I'm near him. But he will do that if I step away and he notices.

 

[cosmic chicken]

i have to laugh! i was reading this thread a couple of hours ago while sitting outside with my peeps. As I read, the dog came into the area and was spotted by Houdinni (polish) who ran right over to me and leaned into my thigh! after dog wandered away Houdinni went back over to the rest of the peeps (only 2 feet away from me). after awhile everyone came over and fell asleep under my knee (I was sitting cross legged). A bit later everyone was awake and scratching nearby me and i decided to go into the house to grab something, got up and started walking for the door (20 feet away). Houdinni noticed this and ran after me, the others noticed Houdinni and ran after her. I had a little line of 5 chicks in a row high speed following me like the poster said ducks do earlier in this thread! it was adorable! lol. Probably a freak event, but still...

 

[freespiritmom]

I do believe that chicks imprint. Mine are already showing that. I have been handling our barred rocks periodically pet them until they fall asleep. I am not handling the packing peanuts as much since they will probably be dinner one day. Not saying I don't cuddle them too, just not as long (they are too cute not to show affection), My son (17) was helping me clean their brood box tonight and he noticed that the barred rock were looking for me, and only the fluffy little brown ones went to him. So, imprinting or not is a matter of opinion, but I do believe that chicks are able to and do imprint.