Why are our chicks so affraid of us??

[Mommysongbird]

I was giving water and food to our chicks just a few minutes ago in their brooder and they totally freaked out!!!

They all ran to the far edge of the box (which is not very far at all) and they were like going crazy, like I had sent a hawk down to eat them or something.

I don't know why they did this, they are 10 days old. We handle them as much as possible, but they still seem so scared of us. What are we doing wrong???

 

[galanie]

Treats. In your hand. My latest were like that and I gave them a taste for mealworms then made them eat them only from my hand. Sudden love.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

If this over-the-top reaction is new, then I would suspect a little bit of "fun with the chicks" on the part of a little kid that you may not have been aware of.
Otherwise, don't worry - the chicks will grow up and figure out what's scary and what's not.

 

[bburn]

Chickens are chicken.

You are 'the hand' and the hand comes in and gets them and no telling where the hand is going to take them or if they are ever coming back.

Seriously, I don't handle mine that much at this stage. I had a couple with pasty butt that I had to get out and work on and check on. But mine do the same thing when I feed and water. I just moved my bigger chicks out to the 'big brooder' in the garage because five of them are 'flyers' and they were practicing a whole lot.

Sometimes I do just hang my hand down in the brooder for a while thinking maybe they will get used to it...they call usually come and inspect it.

 

[Autumnchicken]

Your not doing anything wrong, they are still young. Use treats and by the time they are 5 months old they won't leave you alone. Trust me. Mine even see me drive down the driveway and come running. They all sit at my feet and even jump up and down to be held.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Part of it is that they are instinctively afraid of anything moving above them. Think hawks. Another instinct is that anything bigger than them might want to eat them. But they are creatures of habit and will get used to some things.

They are also afraid of anything new or unusual. With my older chickens, if they see a bucket in my hand, they come running. But if I hold something dangerous, like a tiny camera, they freak out and run away. They are sort of getting used to see me with a garden hoe or shovel in my hands, but they are not really sure about those.

 

[Chick15]

That happens to me too! I am reassured by some of these comments though because I had been holding them yesterday and i was terrified that they may hate me because I held them too much! I am all happy now!!!

but in the same way im sad because it will take 5 months for them to like me...

i hope they like me sooner

 

[Fred's Hens]

Quote:
HUGE x2

Survival instincts. Without that instinct, they'd be gonners very quickly. They aren't exactly at the top of the food chain. Give it time.

 

[Judy]

When you put your hand in with the treats, try to come in from the side so they don't have the instinctive hawk reaction. If I were going to build a permanent brooder it would have a door on the side for my arm.

 

[DAFox]

Also, some breeds tend to avoid human contact no matter what. Others are so super friendly/obnoxious that you can't do anything when they are around...except pet and feed them. What breeds do you have?
Dale-Ann