sheldon Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 Pat & Peg have been let out of the run for the first time today and have been chasing me round the garden and jumping up and pecking. They constantly think that I have food for them. For little things they are making me feel quiet nervous which is pathetic. Tomorrow I need to be boss, any top tips? I was hoping to be able to pick them up and stroke, but thats a big no no ant the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 Have they gone to bed yet? Try giving them a stroke through the pop hole or even bringing one into the house for a cuddle. They go kind of dozy at bedtime and are much easier to handle . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 Welcome to the forum. They will get easier to handle as they come into lay. They will crouch as you approach and you can then scoop them up and give them a surreptitious cuddle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 Try using a distinctive bowl for their treats. If you normally give them food with your hands, that is what they associate with food and will go for your hands! Once they learn you don't have any nutritional value they will settle down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 agree with what Snowy says - they will calm down! I was scared of mine to begin with, but once they settled down and especially once they'd started laying, they were less bothered about me and more interested in rooting around in the borders. Just remember who's really in charge! they are, of course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iChicken Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 If you normally give them food with your hands, that is what they associate with food and will go for your hands! I'd agree with that. One of ours once pecked my hand to get at the corn she could see and i dropped it all over the floor, now everytime I'm opening the run door she's pecking at my hand. Also, they come running everytime I open the shed because they know thats where the corn is kept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Don't worry. It will settle down in a few weeks. At first my lot pecked my fingers every day I opened the run, they pecked my toenails (in the summer that is), they pecked the stitches in my trousers......they pecked everything. But now they don't do any of that. If they are free ranging in the garden and I open the back door they do rush over and block me going out in case I've got any treats, but then wander off when they realise I haven't. So you will get attention when you first go out in the garden, then they'll ignore you. Just give it time. Picking them up takes time too. I was rubbish at first. Be confident and start off by picking them up when they are dozy at night. Wear long sleeves, they can have stratchy claws. PS. I never crouch down to eye level with them (or let the kids do that) as they do sometimes take a fancy to moles on your skin thinking they are food..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazygal Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 As a novice myself (proud chicken owner of 5 days!) this is all very reassuring...Molly the boss chicken is always trying to peck me, and when I picked up Miranda for the first time I was really surprised by how much her wings were flapping and got scratched on my hand- owwwww! Still, I'll learn, I do so want to have cuddles with them eventually (I'm such a softie). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
