Sooo much pooping

[beatka01]

We've recently got a POL Partridge Wyandotte Bantam, to replace the standard issue Miss Gingernut, who unfortunately died. I chose this breed as I wanted a Bantam but mainly because they are supposed to be friendly, docile, easy to tame and even sit on your lap! Well, Lewis is the exact opposite. From day 1 she's seemed scared of humans, will not be handled and prefers to hide in the Eglu when she sees me approaching. We've had her for 7 weeks and thought she will get used to us but the opposite is happening - she sometimes makes an aggressive screech and puffs up her feathers on seeing me. She seems to get on with Miss Pepperpot all right. When I try to tempt her with grain in my hand, she will wait for me to drop the grain on the ground before approaching; any hand movements towards her result in her running away. As she won't be handled, we don't free range her, which is a shame.

Was I just unlucky to get an unfriendly WB???

[Snowy]

Has she started laying yet? They only tend to become more docile once they start laying. Also try handling her once they have gone to roost - again they are more docile then so will accept the attention better. Give her time - she will come round

[Plum]

Mine behave like yours, they are the most jumpy, flightly youngsters out. It's been hard work getting my wyandotte bantams half tame but I'm sure when they come into lay they will change.

 

I can give you a few tips for what has worked with mine they are now jumping on my legs and just letting me stroke their feathers when they eat from my hand.

 

In the morning I don't put their food in but offer it from my hand with me kneeling at their level so they are hungry and have to approach me (how mean ). They started off creeping up and snatching a pellet but gradually get more confident.

 

I make a 3 sided corner in the run and quietly and gently herd them in. Then I can grab one and they haven't room or time to get distressed. Then I stroke them on my lap until they calm down and give them corn which they seem to peck at in anger and then calm down. When they are pecking quietly I let go my hold and they seem to gradually realise they are free and hop down calmly. After that they come to me for corn if I am at their level without snatching and whizzing off and it works for that day though we seem to go back a bit the next day.

 

I was beginning to think they would always be terrified of me but it's working or may be because they are getting older I reckon when they crouch it will be easy.

 

Like you I chose them for their character and looks and I thought getting them young they would become tame really quickly but it just didn't happen. I want a parrot chicken

[Tweety]

I'm sorry to say that my partridge Wyandotte bantam is exactly the same as yours. In fact, I originally had 3 of them, 2 have now sadly died, but they were all the same - terrified of me! I also have 2 large blue-laced Wyandottes, and they are no better. I would have a complex about it, but several of my other girls are perfectly happy to be around me, so hopefully it's just their particular natures. In my experience, they are all individuals and don't necessarily conform to alleged characteristics, although as Snowy says they can often change once they start to lay. Hope your girl becomes more friendly.

[beatka01]

Yes, she is laying now - we only waited 6 days for our first (small) egg!

It has made no difference to her behaviour I'm afraid.

 

When we try to corner her to catch her, she becomes really distressed, though once caught - we've only managed it twice - she doesn't struggle.

 

Will try to handle her after she's hone to roost.

[Mollie333]

Dependant on days, sometimes Alice my little Wyandotte cockerel is so friendly, but the majority he's mad as a box of frogs.

[CallyChook]

not much help to you now that you have your little wyandotte, but I have silkies, polands, orpingtons, croad langshan and a light sussex. the LS is the friendliest of the big birds but by far the polands seem the most friendly. The poland cockerel is quite an aggressive creature when he gets older, and likes to claw out at strangers (but I like this, I feel it's how he should be as an alpha male, and he seems just fine with my family and me. In fact he's like a little baby when I go in, rushing up to me and peckibng my shoelaces if I dont pick him up first for a head-dress tickle!!!)Before getting the breed I had heard that the poland being a rather ancient breed can have quite a lot of fight in him). The girls are just wonderful.

 

I wondered if it was because I have hand reared/incubated them myself and they grew up in a brooder in my lounge, and also with them having a restricted view they're not the most difficult of hens to creep up on. But since, I've purchased another from a large breeder (1000+ hens, so she has not had all the fuss 1 on 1 like my girls have) and within three days she gone from being spooked to not minding handling one bit.

 

It actually causes more of a problem as they all flock right up to me (something I never imagined would happen, the big folk rush over and aren't the least scared but stay an arms length away) and pool around my feet, it makes it difficult to move about the pen as they're constantly underfoot after a pick up and fondle. I'm scared to death that I'll tread on one and letting my son in with them in their half of the garden is frought with me shouting "stop" "watch out!" "DONT STEP ON HER!!!"

 

I'm converted - for me, it's polands forever now. I've found *my* breed as it were!!