why dont my chickens love me?

[kookadala]

I purchased six chickens when they were 5 weeks old (2 of each brown leghorns, buff orpingtons and ameraucanas) and they have been in the coop for over three weeks. I started letting them out into the outer coop a week ago. They are still afraid of me and run away whenever I get near them. They are not imprinted on me since they were raised by a guy who sells poults for a living. How long does it take until my birds will start to like me and come over to let me hold them? I don't see how I will be able to clip their wings if I can't even get near them.

Thanks!

 

[Qi Chicken]

Are you feeding them treats?? When you go into sit with them bring a treat, mine love (BIG love) hard boiled egg but not much else. Say something when you come in like here chick chick chick and always have a treat at first. When they start running over to greet you consistently have a treat most of the time but not all. To be honest, I don't think my chickens love me at all, but they do love the treats, and I love watching them running over when I come in the room. THey are still in the brooder. ACK. Some will start to hang around more than others. Good luck to you. 5 weeks in a chicken's life is like years in a humans. Imagine if you were a 5 year old with a new mommy. It would be weird. Are you sure you need to clip their wings?

 

[Illia]

First, you REALLY shouldn't clip their wings so young.

Second - They're young. It will take some time. I always find that the best thing to do is be with them for sometime and have treats or simply chick feed. Spend sometime each day or each other day, and try and lure them to your hand, arm, or whatever can fit in the brooder or coop so they can get used to you.

Trust me, it works.

Also, Brown Leghorns tend to be a tad flighty anyway, and Easter Eggers (your "Ameraucanas," as real Ameraucanas are hard to find) can also be quite shy when young. Our EE hen was the worst before she began laying.

 

[seminolewind]

I'm sure your chickens love you, they just don't realize it yet

 

[Chick CJ]

I have had two different experiences with this. My first bantam chicks were hatched by a broody hen at my friends house and then I brought them home when they were a couple of weeks old. They lived in my dining room until they were 8 weeks old where all of us would sit for hours every day and talk with them because we were so entertained by them we couldn't leave them alone.

Those original girls (the one broody hen and 3 chicks who are now around 21 weeks old) all know me well. They come running whenever I go outside, sometimes I swear they even know their individual names, but they don't like to be held per say. Each one is different in how she will respond to it. Fiona, the older hen will do the squat thing and let me pick her up the easiest and she tolerates me holding her for a little while and then she wants down to do her chicken thing. The three chicks I have to trap into picking up. Alfie the barred rock will fluff up her feathers and tell me off afterwords. The other two just look at me like they are glad that's over with!

I have four other girls I got when they were 21 weeks old, all different breeds, all full size chickens. They were hatched out by a woman who has a farm and does it for a living so I'm pretty sure they didn't get too much handling while they were growing. I have had them for around three weeks now and each one responds differently to being held. The GLW will squat and let me pick her up but just for a moment then she gets squirmy and wants down. The production red is basically the same. My EE is super friendly. Lets me pet her all the time, will in fact come to me so I will pet her, let's me pick her up and carry her around whenever and for however long I want to! She is just super sweet like that and she talks to me all the time. My black cochin is very skittish. Will run for her life as opposed to getting caught by me and puts up a huge fuss about it. All of these girls know me and come running when I walk outside.

Long story I know, but I think it just goes to show every bird is different in their human tolerance levels. I think if you keep taking really good care of them, feeding, watering, cleaning up after them and visiting with and bringing them treats (this most of all

) they will come to see you as their friend and it will get easier to handle them. As far as catching them, sometimes you just have to get creative. When I want to catch my cochin I have to make sure we are closed up either in the coop or in the run in order to do it and I don't think that will ever change with her. I think it's her personality not to trust.

Hope this helps some.
Good luck and enjoy your chickens!
CJ

 

[saltiboys]

I get millet seed from the health food store. They are tiny little balls of yumminess! My chickens come running when I put a few balls in the palm of my hand.

I have to agree with an earlier post. Some breeds are just more/less friendly than others. I had a golden campine hen that was the friendliest in my flock. The brown leghorn hen is a total spaz and would rather face the stew pot than hang out with me. Same goes for my speckled hamburg. I did just get some black star chicks (4 weeks old) and they are very loving, curious girls. I have heard that the orpintons are friendly too. My vote is just keep getting more until you find a few friendly ones!

 

[PatS]

I agree with the "treats" posts. The way to a chicken's heart is through its stomach.

I just got a couple of baby turkeys. They are less skittish and will walk over and climb into my hand. Unlike the chicks we raised last spring. Chickens are "chicken," scared of anything new.

 

[TwoChicks]

Absolutely food is the way to go.

I have my first ever flock of chickens, most of which I've had since day 2 of their lives. I have 5 chickens (a delaware, black sex, red sex's and a red something?) that are very friendly to me. They still get all "chirpy" when I reach down to pet them or pick them up but they let me and they always are first to come say hello.

I have a few others, the Wyndottes, EEs and Brahmas that are being more just out of my reach, but close enough to see what's going on. When I sit by the coop, they will come and roost right beside me, but still don't like being picked up. they will tolerate being touched, but quickly scoot away if it's more than suits their fancy.

Now, the "others" are very skittish and will not come close unless they aren't paying attention .... my golden campines, partridge cochins and a couple of EEs.

I have 5 babies in a brooder that are TERRIFIED of people. They've been handled a lot, but are just skittish period. They are a couple of sebrights, a d'uccle, a silkie and an idunno.

I imagine in time they will all come around. I had them out night before last and they ended up falling asleep perched on my arm. Lol.

I'm sure yours will get used to you soon enough, just be sure to be "the treat lady" and they'll be your best buds in no time!

 

[jonara]

I got my 3 (two hens and a rooster) when they were a couple..maybe 3 weeks old. I don't know what kind they are as Maui has wild chickens everywhere and these just seem to be the local kind you see. They are always afraid of my hands if I reach for them but find they follow me everywhere if I'm slow and keep my hands to myself. I work at home so I spend a lot of time just talking to them and hanging out w/ them... I think they have become very social. They are free range but multiple times in the day will sit at our front sliding door..even napping on the welcome mat.. so they can see into the living room and feel like they are with us. I started sitting with them out on the porch when they were a couple of months old and putting my legs up on a little table and they started jumping up onto my lap for warmth...as it was still winter and windy and cold. Now it's a habit for at least the Hens...as soon as I sit down..they want on me. I try to also give them treats through out the day and if they are perched on the porch railing and I show them I have treats in my hand..I can scoop them up and hold them quite loosely while they sit in my arm and eat treats and let me pet their back for a little bit.

I do think they luv me in their own chicken way

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

BE PATIENT AND GIVE TREATS AND TALK SOFTLY AND GENTLY TO THEM...imagine if you had of gotten a new puppy from one of those god awful puppy farms, it would take some time to get to know you. they will in time come around though...