Why are my chicks so scared of me??

[Jenn907]

Hello All!!

I am brand new to chickens, just getting my six 6-week old pullets on Sunday. My question is: When will they calm down a bit? When I go into the coop they all bunch together in the corner peeping like mad and seeming so SCARED of me. I approach the door slowly, talk softly when I am walking up and I enter s-l-o-w-l-y and move slow. I don't want to freak them out, but I still want to check on them and see if they are ok, add feed and get them fresh water...

I opened the door for them yesterday so they could go out into their enclosed pen, I even enticed them with some grass to get them to come out. They did not venture beyond the threshold.

Am I doing something wrong?? Or do they just need time to adjust to me and their new surroundings? I would appreciate anyones input very much!

 

[SIMZ]

I'd say they just need a little time to adjust. Treats will get you really far with them. Bring them some tomato, scratch, bread crumbs ,or whatever when you come out. They'll soon come running! Good luck and welcome!!

 

[centrarchid]

most of what you are doing is correct. avoid looking directly at them. make certain they are not in a dimly lit location when open door from a brightly lit location. sit down amoung them read a book, give them treats like mealworms.

 

[n8ivetxn]

Yes, all of the above! - Mine were approximately 4 months old when I assembled the group. It took my flock several weeks to realize they had the run of the place when I let them out. Initially, they didn't go very far from the coop, maybe 10 yards at most. I thought they would never let it out of sight....Now, they're all over the place. It just takes time, you're doing fine!

 

[CorinneP]

they will soon know that you mean food and will grow to love you for that .. I sometimes take bread out in my posket and pick one up a while even if they dont look like they want to be I hold them nice and cradled wings down petting them talking to them so they know my voice and give them some bread.. they grow to like it : )

 

[kidcody]

It is completely a normal survival instinct for chicks to be afraid, even after many times handling them moving slow around them etc. don't feel bad it is nothing your doing wrong it is just apart of evolution for them to survive. It won't belong before they will demand your attention !

 

[gg706]

I got my chicks as 3 day olds and they were not very scared of me at first...then they went through a stage where they were terrified. Now at ten weeks old....they wont leave me alone! Actually one tried to jump into my lap yesterday and put a HUGE bleeding scratch down my leg. I wasn't very happy

. Just keep doing what you are doing and they will come around. One will figure out that you are not a threat and the rest will follow. They will still have individual likes and dislikes... you will figure out who likes what and tailor your interaction for each one. Yall just need time to get to know each other and everything will be great!

 

[n8ivetxn]

I got babies a few days ago! Most of them are 2 weeks old, but one is 3 weeks old.....the littlest ones are terrified, but the older one is figuring out that I bring good stuff She will run up and peck at my fingers before I can even put it down in the brooder! The others seem to follow her lead, she was the first to come up and peck at an apple half - now they are like fluffy little piranhas on that apple! She's very curious and observant, watches everything I do when I go in there. Now she's just big enough to fly up on the side of the brooder and sit, watching the world