When will my chicks warm up to me?

[CCourson05]

If you hatch chicks, they warm up to you much easier as they imprint on the first thing that moves and is larger than them. So when you see them hatching, dont start screaming, but use the voice you want your chicks to respond to. I use a low pitch chicken bock... It's what a mama hen uses, and if I hatch it, this sound makes them come flocking to my hand.

 

[zoa]

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that is amazing! I have never seen a chicken sleep like that- how cool!!!!

 

[ginger c.]

the more time you can spend with them the better and the treats are key! don't feel bad about offering bribes for affection, it's worth it in the end!! earthworms are great fun to give and ours love tomatoes, cut these into narrow pieces.

 

[Nicole01]

Keep holding and handling them. My RIR would shake and shiver when first being held. Sometimes I would hold her for an hour at a time. Treats work well also, feed those from your hand. I feed wet chick starter from my hand. I had my 3 oldest in the coop yesterday. A few hours later they were all tired and all 3 jumped in my lap for a nap. I was astounded. All that holding and handling paid off.

 

[turtlejen]

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I'm sorry! I'm rofl at this-it is SO something I would do!!

 

[Velvet Hairpiece]

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I'm sorry! I'm rofl at this-it is SO something I would do!!

Don't be sorry! It's quite typical of something I do ALL the time! I'm so clumsy. Poor little chicks!

As for an update of today, they were a little better. Mrs. T Bottom, a BR pullet, is the only one not afraid of us. When we opened the brooder lid she jumped right on the edge and let us hold her and was completely content. The others were kind of freaked out by her being up there, and kept running around. Lady, our believed alpha pullet, was flapping all about. She'd jump on the edge and if we got too close she'd flap back down in the brooder, of course scaring everyone else! I'll keep chipping away at them all, and hopefully they'll start to really like us humans!

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We have a brinsea eco glow (love it! Would recommend to anyone! It's so much more natural and cost efficient, requiring significantly less energy to run than a heat bulb, and safer!) so I know that it's not blinding us out. But we are coming at them from above like many of their predators, so I understand that.

 

[ThaJuicyJuice]

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12 weeks? So I am half way there. My hatched chicks are 6 weeks today and they scurry away from me all the time. I had to chase a cockerel around the front yard in and around the neighbors' yards to get him back after he ran from me. Any one want an EE or Maran roo? I have 3.

 

[mywifewasonherenowiamalso]

ok another suggestion then, put your hand in and keep it in til they get used to it. and tap on the feeder and scratch at the ground. when mama hen does this they come running

 

[mywifewasonherenowiamalso]

and if you close you hands around them they feel like they are safe (like in an egg or under mama hen)

 

[stubbornhill]

nurseshelly,

Oh my... Never seen such a site!