Your thoughts on having "tame" chicks??

[musikfan6]

I know that some have already posted some information about taming chicks.

Mine were eating out of my hand the first day, but they have gradually become more "scary" and all eight of them will run to the back of the brooder when I go out to just talk to them. They seem to relax a bit after about 5 or 6 minutes, but still hang to the back. I've picked them up from time to time. I guess my question is "should I expect them to get tame at all? Will they become more tame once I put them in the coop and start going in to feed them? I keep forgetting that these are birds, not dogs and cats, I'm sure their personality and temprament are different. I just thought it would be nice to have hand tamed chicks for later on so they might be nicer in the coop. Is this a myth??

Any experiences/information will be interesting to me.

 

[Gumpwhite]

Me and my kids are raising baby rirs .. we picked them up every day more than once a day. We pet them and made a kissing noise. Now the come right up ti us.. and if the get scared or agrivated the kissing noise seems to calm them down.

 

[the_great_snag]

I think a lot depends on the breed and how much you handle them. Also, of course it would probably make a big difference if the times they have been handled have been traumatic or not.

Leghorns and other light egg birds tend to be a lot more skittish than dual purpose, setters, or meat birds. I've heard stories about tame leghorns, but have never seen one personally. I like to handle my meat birds periodically as I think it makes them more relaxed for the last time you have to handle them, if you get my drift.

 

[DDNONIN2016]

My cochins were very tame from the beginning and still are at a year old. I just bought 6 black australorp chicks and they run to the other side of the brooder and try to pile on top of each other to hide from me. I'm just going to keep talking to them and trying to feed them from my hand. I think the older they get the better they will be. Good luck with yours I think you are doing the right thing.

 

[MargaretAnneHK]

I agree that much depends on the breed as some seem more "flighty" than others. I have had the best luck with cochins and brahmas.

 

[jmswfe94]

My birds are quite tame, we hand raised all but one of them and she is the only one that's a bit skittish but other than that they will run right up to my daughter and me (if they are out of the coop playing in the back yard they will knock on the back door) and will try to eat out of our hands. They are easy to pick up and one of them still jumps up into my daughter's arms. They are Ameraucanas and Rhode Island reds.
.

 

[musikfan6]

What do you consider to be "traumatic"? We pretty much just hold them and pet/rub them.

I think a lot depends on the breed and how much you handle them. Also, of course it would probably make a big difference if the times they have been handled have been traumatic or not.

Leghorns and other light egg birds tend to be a lot more skittish than dual purpose, setters, or meat birds. I've heard stories about tame leghorns, but have never seen one personally. I like to handle my meat birds periodically as I think it makes them more relaxed for the last time you have to handle them, if you get my drift.

 

[musikfan6]

Is there a place that chicks like to be rubbed/petted?

 

[SC Yankee]

good question. let's wait for the answer, I'd like to know too....

 

[chkinut]

i don't know about a particular place, but when i have chicks i put a dish towel on my chest and/or shoulders and around my neck....and they LOVE to hide in my hair and i really think that helps them bond with you as a mother hen. and i will talk softly to them and also do chicken mamma noises (bock bock bock). i also say "bock bock bock" when i feed them. and i handle them a lot during the day. maybe at least 4 or 5 times a day. when they grow, they will all have their own personalities. and after they start laying they calm down even more. you'll find they get more loving after they start laying. my absolutely favorite pet (who, btw, has a free ride her whole life) didn't really bond with me till she was about 9 months old (or so). i mean, she was tame. but now, she loves to stand on my lap (sometimes sits) and pecks at my hair and nuzzles in my hair, i think it may have something to do with me allowing her to cuddle in my hair as a baby. but the other girls don't care to do it....so i think a lot has to do with personality. but just give them love every day and they will each become their own little "person" in due time.
oh, i will warn you though, that you may get poop in your hair sometimes. but it's worth it. i always did this before i had to take a shower anyway.