When will they know I'm not trying to eat them?

[SproutGirl]

When you put the barbecue sauce away!

 

[Kansaseq]

Brood them in the bathroom. Once they've seen you in a compromising position, they chill right out!
But seriously. I did brood mine in the bathroom, so they obviously saw me several times a day. I would try and handle them every day, even if they didn't like it much. They are SO much friendlier than my feed store birds! I really think this helped them to get used to being around me. Conditioning is the answer. Just keep at it.

 

[Judy]

Sitting near/with them a while each day is as important as treats, I think. Put some food on your feet or near them, and just sit a while. When they were very small, I would sit near the brooder and just let my hand lay inside. Eventually they got curious about it.

 

[cmjust0]

Mine still think I'm Godzilla, and they're eight weeks old now. I've got so many animals that want to be in my pocket 24/7, though, I actually sorta appreciate that they get out of my way when I need to do something...like feed them or give them water. It's the least they could do, really..

You learn to appreciate that sort of thing when you're just about to rare back and hit a nail only to be startled by a goat that's sniffing the claw end of the hammer like an IDIOT.

Or the goat that comes out of NOWHERE and sniffs the bar of a chainsaw just as the chain stops moving..

I'm tellin ya...there's something to be said for a good 5'-10' flight zone on your livestock...

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

I've got so many animals that want to be in my pocket 24/7, though, I actually sorta appreciate that they get out of my way when I need to do something..

amen

this morning it was the geese and duck and dogs all "helping" me milk the goat. then the barn cat got involved and it was pandemonium... at least with the chicks they run away so you can walk..unlike this cat who is walking over my keyboard..​

 

[RevaVirginia]

Quote:
LOL, what a visual!

 

[cybercat]

I think it is a indivual person and breed thing. Mine at 3 weeks are not running so bad some are running at my hand. I had one bite me today when moving the thermemtor. Sometime they freak out and sometimes not. I am in watching my hourly so that make the differenace with mine as they are more used to seeing me. Just try watching them without reaching in to grab them. Sometimes I just let my hand in there and do not do anything but wiggle my fingures. That way they know hands do not always grab.

They will get used to you do not worry.

 

[m2wandc]

Quote:
MY silkies are like that...they freak out when I look in their brooder, etc....when I pick them up they freak and try to fly away, but if I hold them firmly and closely to my body (praying they won't sh&t on my shirt) they calm down and seem more content...

...tonight for the first time I laid a big blanket out on the floor and just sat with them, while they checked ME out...I had meal worms and they seemed to stick around and not explore too far from me...after about 10 minutes I put them back in the brooder and had a nice feeling of maybe they'll learn that I'm not so bad after all.