4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Butty]

Hi there

When our chooks were delivered the lad from Omlet said to try to handle them as much as poss.

Picked them up ok then and when we first had to put them to bed

They seem to be getting less cooperative not better.

Any hints or secret tactics

How often should we be doing it

[jlo]

It took quite a while for the girls to get used to us. They would run away as soon as we went anywhere near them. I posted a message very similar to yours and got lots of replies that they would get better when they got closer to laying. After a few weeks BeBe started to crouch when we got close and then started laying shortly afterwards. Tango has taken a little longer but now they both happily jump onto our laps and are cuddled. Just keep stroking them when they are quiet and be patient. My main problem now is not stepping on them when I am walking around them as they compete to get under my feet!

[Egg Lou]

Stick with it! it will get easier

I have only had mine 3 weeks but spent lots of time with them, allowing them to jump on knee, feed from hand on first day, then kept picking them up quietly but with a gentle but firm hold.. I usually give them a few bits or corn or sweetcorn too!

See how they have become more and more relaxed below

 

Collection Day!

 

First morning

 

Day three with Daughter

 

This Sat - after 3 weeks..house hen?!?

[Chickvic]

Don't know how much help I'll be but here goes. When we tried to pick ours up after they'd gone to bed they were suddenly wide awake and not particularly impressed and docile. We then left them alone in the eglu and waited until they were out in the garden. We obviously bribed them with a treat first and then went in for the kill! I was more nervous than DH but found that you just had to be firm and decisive. My DD was better at it than me to start with and she's 10

They now flock round us the minute we step out the door and are quite cuddly (except Pearl). Ruby and Opal are very easy to pick up which is just as well when we have to remove them from the living room

Keep up the bribes, sorry treats and they associate you with the good stuff! Ours did not crouch before they started laying but do now. Do they feed from your hands yet?

[Lapinou]

Whenever ours snuck into the nesting box we shut the eglu so they couldn't escape, and opened the egg port and picked them up swiftly and calmly. One of them has been fab from the beginning, the other two made too much fuss and we didn't want to scare them, so we waited until evening time when they were sleepier and cared less! Then we made sure we picked each one up at least once a day in this way - either during the day, or in the evening. We've had them nearly 2 weeks now, and one is happy to be picked up from the ground when she's free-ranging (she's the closest to laying though, I think - redder comb, flattens when you go near etc.), one just about tolerates being picked up when free-ranging and the third will let you pick her up when free ranging if she's distracted by a treat! They're all improving steadily and the children help by playing around them and stroking them whenever they come close (although I seem to spend my whole day saying 'Will you please walk up *slowly* to the chickens or you'll scare them!!?' over and over again

[Reikiranf]

Sultanas My girls love them and we started putting them on the ground near us for them to eat, then held out our hands with sultanas on our palms and would stroke the girls with our free hand whilst they ate them and then they got so confident/greedy they would leap up onto our laps, arms or shoulders whatever they had to do to get their favourite treat They do get a bit more approachable once they start crouching too so don't despair

[suzie72]

We too posted a message like yours only a couple of weeks ago and were told that it would be easier to pick them up when they started laying. So we just left them alone and as we've been letting them free range around us a bit more they've become a bit more confident with us and have been happier to scratch around our feet a bit more. Today one of ours started squatting when we went near and then she just didn't seem to mind being stroked so I gingerly picked her up, and she was fine! Hopefully this means she will start laying soon. The other one just runs away whenever we go near her so I'm going to just wait with her too.

 

Ours also love sultanas, and bread and marmite! It's worth a try!

 

Sue

[Abbey Road Girl]

I was less motivated by the idea of having feathered pets than by doing something to counter factory farming. Nonetheless, it's been absolutely wonderful to have the lovely Pepperpots. They have come more than halfway to meet me.

 

I have had them voluntarily perching on my knees and shoulders, not to mention their confidendly running between my legs.

 

Yes, mine didn't like to be handled at first and fluffed up their feathers to say Ewww! after they'd been stroked. But I couldn't be happier with my girls.

 

Wish you as much luck with yours as I've had with mine!

[Egluntyne]

I'm picking my new babies up at night, through the egg port, and there is a gradual acceptance.

 

They are considerably less timid than they were a few days ago.

[kissinuk]

Hi there

When our chooks were delivered the lad from Omlet said to try to handle them as much as poss.

Picked them up ok then and when we first had to put them to bed

They seem to be getting less cooperative not better.

Any hints or secret tactics

How often should we be doing it

 

Give it a few weeks and they'll be getting under your feet trying to get attention. Trust me!

[dancing cloud]

Five weeks in and I can touch and stroke all of mine except one, who just squawks and runs away. There's a lot of protest when they're picked up, but they're getting used to it (except Dandelion) and I usually try to have a treat for them while they are being held - not always easy when you've only two hands and a squirming hen

 

Dandelion isn't afraid of me - she's one of the first to come for food and is happy to be under my feet - she just doesn't want to be touched. I too have tried the "wait till they're asleep" trick with her, but she woke up very quicky and was very loudly indignant at such a rude awakening

 

I'm trying persistence ...

[Butty]

Hi there everyone

Thanks for all the great replies.

I went into the run earlier with dried mealworms held them out on my hand and they all came running.

It was easy to stroke them with my other hand without them running away.

It's a step in the right direction thanks again.