Solitary chicken - need advice

[beingmaisie]

I have 3, 5 week old chicks. I we hatched ourselves and she loved a cuddle under our neck when she was tiny and 2 we bought of same age to keep Daisy company. They all liked to be held and even 10 days ago liked to jump on our hands when we put them in the brooder.

Now we let them roam around for 15 mins a night in the safety of the garage they are in, supervised by us of course. Once they are out they want nothing to do with us apart from taking treats from our fingers.

We do pick them up to get them used to being handled but they make such a fuss and flap their wings and fly off.

Are we making them nervous by constant handling, should we let them come to us or do we accept that they will never be that friendly anymore.

What are your experiences of that. Tell me straight please.

 

thanks

Gill

[buffie]

I've no experience of this and I wonder if you've tried the practical poultry forum and other research. It's not quite the same as pups and kittens, my forte, but chick rearing. I imagine they will change as they are getting older

 

 

Buffie x

[Lesley]

They will become more independant - as Buffie says, they're not like cats or dogs

 

They will know that you are the provider of food and should be fairly tame and come to you. You should end up with nice friendly hens but they will always do their own thing as well.

[Egluntyne]

Mine are certainly harder to catch, but once I have hold of them they are happy enough to be handled.

 

They seem to double in size daily.

[Griffin]

Mine were like that, went through an independent phase but now my eldest ones are almost 15 weeks old they'll hop on my lap for a cuddle if I sit down My Leghorn boys are three weeks younger and still quite nervous but I think it's just in their nature to be that way.

[beingmaisie]

Thanks everyone for those nuggets of advice. I know they wont be like cats, we have 3 of those. Just didnt want to ruin them by over handling. I guess they are going to find the great outdoors more fun than us to start with.

[Budgies]

It sounds as though you're doing the right thing by handling them regularly - I reckon it's just a phase. They all settle so much more when they're older and the girls come into lay.

[craftyhunnypie]

Make sure you handle them every day. You will end up with lovely tame birds - mine all are that I hatched & reared. Ignore their flapping, they are just showing that they are growing up & independent.

 

Emma.x

[beingmaisie]

Thanks Budgies and Craftyhunnypie

I will keep on with the handling then. I'm in two minds as to whether i shall incubate any more eggs soon. This weekend would be a good time as the brooder will be empty by the time any hatch.

decisions, decisions eh

[beingmaisie]

Have just found out that my Daisy is in fact a rooster. So not sure whether we can keep her now.

 

Also, one of the twins has rather runny and orangey poo lately, any idea what might be causing it. They have just moved onto rearers pellets from the chick crumb so do you think that could be a factor. Other than that they have green stuff and the odd sweetcorn treat but nothing else.