Wild easter eggers

[scooter147]

I have 6 one month old pullet easter eggers. These things are wild as all get out. I walk into the brooder house and they just go banana's. They run and hide in the corners and then if I reach for them they fly up like wild pheasants and then really freak out. If I do manage to catch one and hold it, it screams bloody murder the whole time. Saturday it was quite windy here and I didn't shut the door properly and it blew open and 2 of them escaped. They FLEW off into the brush and I didn't see them until the following morning and then with a little luck I got them to go into the henhouse and managed to catch them.
I have raised many a easter egger before and currently have 6 hens of which 3 are two years old and 3 are one year old. These hens are just as calm and friendly as can be and even will eat out of my hand.
I don't know what happen to these 6 but they may never make it to laying age, they may end up in a pot if they don't calm down some, I am not going to put up with this nonsense in the henhouse.
Any others have this experience with easter eggers?

 

[chicmom]

Wow, that is wild! My EEs are my most gentle, friendly chickens ever. Do you think maybe you didn't socialize with these chicks as much as you did with other chicks you've had?

Now, I did have a batch of silkies, and they're supposed to be friendly, but they were the most timid, frightened little things I ever owned. I didn't enjoy them at all and sold them. I raised them from little day old chicks, and every time I went to feed them or visit with them, they acted like I was the big bad wolf!

Maybe it's genetics, or where you buy them from that makes the temperaments......anyhow, I do know how you feel.....

Sharon

 

[scooter147]

I bought them at the feed store and the feed store gets them from a well known hatchery. I suppose I have not spent has much time with them as others I've raised. It has been unusally cold here for March and so I guess I didn't spend as much time in the brooder house with them. They started getting this way at about 2 weeks. When they were young as I reached into the box they were in the first week or so they hardly reacted to my movements.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Could it be that some flighty breed was mixed into this bloodline of EE?

 

[chicmom]

I really think that might have been what happened with my little silkies too.....I was a little busier at the time, so I think I may have spent a bit more time with my other chicks than those........

I've purchased some adult chickens from a poultry show, and I always ended up selling them because they weren't friendly like my hand raised babies.......

It just makes such a difference when they're friendly.

 

[nanawendy]

When my EE's don't feel good they act very different. When all is well they are great

 

[Illia]

Quote:

YES, I did!! My Easter Egger hen was the WORST pullet I ever had. . . I was so sick and tired of how flighty, skittish, and freakish she was! You try and feed her, and she just may approach you, bite you, then run, flap, and fly off in the biggest fit ever! She'll make all sorts of sounds and cries, then settle down as far away from you as possible. She won't let you touch her, approach her, etc. I thinking to myself, "If you don't start laying eggs - You're going to the stew pot." What happened? She was the FIRST pullet to lay eggs.

After a month of that, she calmed right down to a manageable temperament. Also, her eggs are freaky big. She doesn't lay often, maybe once or twice a week, but her eggs are ENORMOUS - And not double yolkers.

 

[vfem]

EE's are have a lot of 'unknowns' when it comes to temper and attitude. Too much mixing to be sure whether you will have a parinoid, tempermental or docile bird. You may not have gotten the best mix in your line. I would continue to try to be involved with them everyday, twice a day minimum if possible. Dealing with skittish birds I worked with 1 or 2 birds at a time, and consistantly lap held them, and gave treats. Now I am viewed as the feeder and protector. Give them between 3-4 weeks to get used to your daily routine. Eventually they will settle down enough to have stable feeding visits and get to free range enough to trust them to come home each night. You may even break them enough to be able to pick them up without any fight.

 

[scooter147]

Quote:
I hope your right. We are going to have a very warm week this week so I plan on spending a lot of time in the evening around all my birds. I've been raising chickens for 40 years and honestly don't think I've had a batch like these and I've raised leghorns.

 

[thespinningcottage]

My hatchery EE is my only "lap" bird. She is a little over a year and follows me like a puppy. She'll jump up on the lap of anyone, even visitors to the house if they sit down near her. My BCM pullet on the other hand is like you describe your EEs. She freaks out so easily and acts like I'm going to kill her. She lays tiny dark brown speckled eggs with brittle shells, & won't eat any of her shell or yogurt, etc. Such a brat! We're hoping things improve with her. Good luck with your EEs!