Why are my chicks running away from me?

[Gruberg]

Hey guys, I bought 4 chickens few months ago, and those are my first chickens..
I don't know why but they are extremely afraid of everything, I can't get closer to them or touch them...
Why it happens and how can I fix it?

Thanks!

 

[One Chick Two]

About how old are your chickens? What are their breeds? Can you post a photo that shows them in their living quarters? (Just trying to figure out if there is something obvious may be frightening them).

Do you know if the previous owners socialized with them? I have had chickens that were never socialized before we got them, and after about a week of efforts and treats, they became friendly, less scared and wanted to interact. Now those chickens are the friendliest of all of them, lol

 

[azygous]

Yes, it's very important for you to tell us how old your chickens are. If these are baby chicks, they will run scared from anything reaching for them from up above. Adult chickens raised in a brooder on the floor with the only access from above will scare the chickens for a long time, making it hard to tame them.

The best thing to do, with both baby chicks and adult chickens, is to reach for them from the side, always, and try to stoop to their level to do it. Remember that chickens are born to be alert for danger from the sky in the form of hawks, and other birds of prey.

 

[Gruberg]

About how old are your chickens? What are their breeds? Can you post a photo that shows them in their living quarters? (Just trying to figure out if there is something obvious may be frightening them).

Do you know if the previous owners socialized with them? I have had chickens that were never socialized before we got them, and after about a week of efforts and treats, they became friendly, less scared and wanted to interact. Now those chickens are the friendliest of all of them, lol

Yes, it's very important for you to tell us how old your chickens are. If these are baby chicks, they will run scared from anything reaching for them from up above. Adult chickens raised in a brooder on the floor with the only access from above will scare the chickens for a long time, making it hard to tame them.

The best thing to do, with both baby chicks and adult chickens, is to reach for them from the side, always, and try to stoop to their level to do it. Remember that chickens are born to be alert for danger from the sky in the form of hawks, and other birds of prey.

Hmm I dont know exactly how old are they.. but I think between 7 to 9 months old.. They had a REAL small place for few months until we managed to build a huge run for them.. I know they attacked each other because of the small place without a run but now they has too much space for them... and I bought him as 2 month old chicks I think and they were bit scared at the seller but I dont know if its matters..

P.S: in the pictuers the water is on the ground but I moved it since I took these pictures, now its hanged from the top in the middle of the run
Pictures:

 

[Amina]

Get a chair and sit quietly in their run with a cup of scratch, sunflower seeds, mealworms, etc. if they won't approach you, then start tossing some on the ground, closer and closer to you. When they will get close, have them eat from the cup or your hand. Don't try to grab them or pet them when you do this. In no time, you will have them under your chair and/or jumping up on your lap.

 

[ChickenPox]

^^^^ Ditto.

All my babies I hatched or got from the hatchery as day olds......but I had so many it was impossible to socialize all of them. I go in and just sit with mine. Some still are very standoffish (and probably always will be) but most come over and are curious to see what I am doing. I haven't gotten to where I can touch any of them yet, but they love to peck at my feet, pants, etc. Just take a chair in there and sit. It's so relaxing to me just to watch them be birds, I could stay out there for hours.

 

[Maebh]

^^^^ Ditto.

All my babies I hatched or got from the hatchery as day olds......but I had so many it was impossible to socialize all of them. I go in and just sit with mine. Some still are very standoffish (and probably always will be) but most come over and are curious to see what I am doing. I haven't gotten to where I can touch any of them yet, but they love to peck at my feet, pants, etc. Just take a chair in there and sit. It's so relaxing to me just to watcuh them be birds, I could stay out there for hours.

I pick mine up to transport them from the coop they do not seem overly happy but don't run away from me should I leave them down till they are more comfortable around me

 

[One Chick Two]

The posters gave given terrific advice. Don't be afraid to make them a little upset in the process.

When I socialize birds, I get in there with them. Spend time daily sitting and talking to them, and bringing yummy treats. Curiosity wins over fear- usually. lol They get more confident as they lose their fear and eventually they should fly on your shoulder or head to be with you. We have 90 birds, some of different breeds, 17 roos. All the roos are friendly and even ask for a little attention from time to time by tugging on my pantleg to let me know to pick them up. We have one bantam roo that we purchased as an adult, and he was standoffish and fearful when we got him- he shook with fear poor guy. But now, even he seems to tolerate a little petting from time to time- he loves apple bits! lol

Our birds are fully grown now, but they still fly up on shoulders and head and act like chicks sometimes.


It is never too late to work with them.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

...I don't know why but they are extremely afraid of everything, I can't get closer to them or touch them...

Thanks!

That's why they are called....chickens!

I've got some chickens I can't touch with a 10 foot pole and some that I step on when I go in the chicken yard because they won't get out of the way. That's the difference between a feral barnyard chicken and a hand raised chicken.
Even though I work with them several times a day I've still got a few old chickens that are distrustful and won't eat from my hand or let me touch them. If I put them in a cage so they didn't have the option to run away I could tame them easy enough but I just really don't care because I got enough chickens following me around like little puppy dog wanting attention already.

 

[Sarasarasara222]

I have a 4 year old chicken and she is just petrified even if she seems completely relaxed when she’s on my lap like she doesn’t mind when I have food or already caught her but she just runs from me (she at the bottom of the pecking order) I think she trusts me but I don’t not know if she likes me