Will they ever be tame?

[carrlr]

IMO its an individual chicken personality thing. Some seem to become calmer and let you handle them, and others not so much. I think the younger they are the better, but it's no guarantee.

 

[coreybee]

I got mine at a week old. I don't think they were handled much. They have been frightened of me from the start. They were in the house in a smallish pen until their adult feathers came in. I handled them every day (catching them and forcing the issue), but it didn't seem to help any. I brought them veggies, which they ate, but not until I was not near the pen. At about 6 weeks I moved them into the garage (too dusty inside). And then out into their coop this weekend (8 weeks). They seem much happier in the coop, but are still frightened of me.... sigh.... if I bring them treats they run from my hands, never checking out what I actually have to offer. I usually give up and leave the treats behind.

 

[lebentier]

once they figure out you control the food they will love you

 

[emptynester]

Quote:
This is so true! I have 16 four month old cochins and they no longer run, but walk quickly away. Every time I offerred them a treat they would eye it and me with deep suspicion then walk away, so I would drop it on the ground and they would scatter. (sigh) One day last week, I tried again and brought watermelon. Same reaction, suspicious looks, walking way when I laid it on the ground. But I left it and walked away like I always do. Came back an hour later and it was gone. Now when I walk in they rush me! They don't even look to see what I have in my hand anymore- as soon as they can reach it , it's snatch, grab and gone. watermelon was the key to their stomachs.

 

[CaroleW]

Perhaps this behavior is why we call someone who is scared of something "chicken"!

Mine are mostly scared of me as I didn't raise them and I've only had them about a month or less. STILL they run up to me when I open the door to set food in their runs. Four of them are more scared because they were not hand raised, I got them from someone who had about 50 birds and they were never handled. Three were hand raised by kids and they are much more friendly to each other and to me and are not as scared.

Still have a few weeks before I can put them all together since they are quarantined from each other. I hope the farm raised hens will learn something from the hand raised hens!

Funny thing is the farm raised hens have started laying before the hand raised- they must know they won the chicken lottery. The hand raised hens feel like they are in chicken ghetto because they are used to free-ranging and I haven't let either flock out of quarantine yet to free-range the backyard.

In my short experience, I would agree with Happy Chooks that the way to a chicken's heart IS through her stomach!

 

[cmom]

TREATS... The best way to a chickens heart is through its stomach.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

i know this is an old thread....but what treats do you guys use? I have to buy whatever i feed them (at least if i feed them that a lot) because these are my chickens and i am NOT and adult with a job, so inexpensive treats would be great...

 

[Rachy]

I'm constantly falling over mine, under my feet, when I step out of the door, or they are in the house if I leave to door open. You'll get there, and then you might wish you hadn't, lol!

 

[Grace11]

I want to add that my six-week old chicks were terrified of me when I brought them home as little fluff balls. Every move was a cause for alarm. Now, they come running when they see me and don't run away when I stoop to pick them up. Last night, I realized how far we'd come when I was sitting quietly in their coop with them and something thumped against the roof (I think it was a pine cone); in a flash I had chicks all over me, on my arms and knees... They stayed there, still and tall, then relaxed and began preening, still perching on me.

It made me ridiculously happy.

That happened to me, too. I fell in love right then....

 

[jeepgurl]

No job and no money? Easy..........my chicks will eat grass, weeds, roses, leftover veggies, meat, rice, dog food, mice, lizards, feathers, bugs.........almost anything I throw in gets eaten.