Why are my chicks so skittish?

[MysteryChicken]

Hi! I got 7 chicks 4 weeks ago and 4 chicks 2 weeks ago.
Here are the breeds:

4 week olds:
1 buff orpington
1 barred rock
1 light brahma
1 speckled sussex
3 silkies

2 week olds:
4 easter eggers.

I handle them every day. Every time i go to their brooder, I give them Black Soldier Fly larvae or whatever veggie I wanted them to eat. They love them. However, whenever I try to pick them up, all of them except the BR and SS will squawk so loudly while flapping their wings and sprinting away. I feel like BR is the only one who likes me. The others, um, just no. Silkies and Easter eggers are the WORST, while the Buff Orpington and Brahma don't like getting picked up, but are fine once they're standing on my arm.

Whenever I try to get them out of the brooder for cleaning, taking them outside to play, taking progress photos, etc, I'm having to snatch them up quickly after chasing them with my hand, even though I know they don't like it.

The thing is I feel really bad, but very often I have to do that, since they poop up their brooder so fast!!! They would run over to my hand if I have treats, but if I do so much as touch them, they run/fly away. What do I do? Will they get better once they're bigger?

I've got a dramatic bunch as well, only one that's friendliest. I hatched these one's, & am surprised they're like that, I've handled them since day 1. They're starting to learn that I'm their keeper, & won't hurt them though.

 

[featherhead007]

Hi! I got 7 chicks 4 weeks ago and 4 chicks 2 weeks ago.
Here are the breeds:

4 week olds:
1 buff orpington
1 barred rock
1 light brahma
1 speckled sussex
3 silkies

2 week olds:
4 easter eggers.

I handle them every day. Every time i go to their brooder, I give them Black Soldier Fly larvae or whatever veggie I wanted them to eat. They love them. However, whenever I try to pick them up, all of them except the BR and SS will squawk so loudly while flapping their wings and sprinting away. I feel like BR is the only one who likes me. The others, um, just no. Silkies and Easter eggers are the WORST, while the Buff Orpington and Brahma don't like getting picked up, but are fine once they're standing on my arm.

Whenever I try to get them out of the brooder for cleaning, taking them outside to play, taking progress photos, etc, I'm having to snatch them up quickly after chasing them with my hand, even though I know they don't like it.

The thing is I feel really bad, but very often I have to do that, since they poop up their brooder so fast!!! They would run over to my hand if I have treats, but if I do so much as touch them, they run/fly away. What do I do? Will they get better once they're bigger?

Train them. Have patience with yourself, but train them!
Signed “the chicken whisperer”

 

[SandyRiverChick]

After reading this excellent article by Azygous years ago, I changed my practices dramatically and chicks are never afraid of me now. I don't need them in my lap, that's not an objective but indeed they would, lol. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

After reading this excellent article by Azygous years ago, I changed my practices dramatically and chicks are never afraid of me now. I don't need them in my lap, that's not an objective but indeed they would, lol. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/

This is a great article! I read it a few weeks ago even though I plan on never brooding chicks again lol *knock on wood*

 

[DonyaQuick]

Every single chicken I've ever had (27 now if I counted right) has loved hugs. If I sit down in any of my enclosures I get covered in chickens immediately. Some were hatched from the egg and imprinted on me, some broody raised, some gotten at the feed store, some mail order, and one adopted at a year old (my very first rooster). Personalities range from chaotically high strung to very laid back and calm. Some like to be grabbed, some don't. All come to me for attention though. Imprinting definitely produces an easier-to-grab bird, but it clearly is not the only route to a friendly chicken and in the proper sense also isn't typically possible with birds you didn't hatch in the room with you, just due to the length of time they spend in transit otherwise. One thing that is important to be aware of is that liking or disliking the event of being grabbed really has nothing to do with whether the bird will like to be held or even snuggled in absurd ways if allowed to choose its own way of getting onto you. IME sitting on the floor and letting chicks come to you on their own (via snacks if needed), sit on you, and especially nap on you is how you build trust with them. For picking up nervous chicks, approaching from the side with an open hand can do better. Try to avoid the predatory snatch-from-above as much as possible, although of course there are times when it is unavoidable.

 

[ella2025]

Here is what I did.

Converted a dog kennel (or a spacious finch cage) into a temporary chick habitat:

• Parked it right in the heart of the house—TV noise, footsteps, conversations—the full immersive experience.
• Called them regularly with my signature line: “Heeey chick chiiiick!” It's half magic spell, half poultry poetry.
• Left them there for a few hours a day so they could soak up the chaos and learn that humans = noise and snacks.
• Also gave them 30-minute sessions on the sofa (towel-covered, for obvious reasons) so we could hang out at eye level.
• Placed enticing foods between us to bribe—uh, encourage—interaction and crawling adventures without me 'grabbing' them.
• Let them climb on me like I was a jungle gym made of snacks and trust.
• The end result? Lap chickens.
• Which, to be fair, is both delightful and a little bit cursed.
• Baby chicks hopping on your lap: "Aww!"
• Full-grown hens body-slamming you while you scrub the coop: "...I have made powerful decisions."

Thank you so much for this suggestion!!! That's such a cute setup! Sadly my flock of 11 poops up and stinks up my entire basement within 3 hours lol. That's why I can't put them in a living room. My parents would also go nuts.

 

[ella2025]

I have limited experience, so this is 100% anecdotal.

I've had 3 batches of chicks.
- Brood 1: 4 chicks, received at 1 day old. Super easy to handle.
- Brood 2: 7 chicks, received at 2 days old. They act like yours.
- Brood 3: 3 chicks, received at 1 day old. Super easy to handle.

Not sure what to make of the data. Either smaller broods might have a chance at being hand friendly, or it has to do with how quickly you receive the chicks. Or it's coincidence.

It's weird. I've had a flock of 3 chicks once before, but not for long because I lived in a fairly urban neighborhood and 2 of my chicks ended up being roosters. So I had to give all 3 of them away at like 8 weeks old. But, that flock was SUPER friendly. They would tolerate me constantly picking them up, and at that time i do admit, I did absolutely no research and did many things wrong. Oh god, I didn't even put a brooder heater in. However, those chicks were SO nice and absolutely precious. I guess having a small flock to rely on means liking the human more.