arowland17 Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Hi, I have asked many questions on here and have had great advice so here's my next one!! We've had our 2 girls for 4 days now, and have not let them out of the run to free range , but one of them, Buttercup, seems very vicious!! When we go to the run to adjust the cover, fill the glug/grub etc she goes for our fingers, she'll even jump for them and bites extremely hard!! drew blood from the OH who was hand feeding them corn!! We were wondering if anyone had any advice - it's only the smaller one that's like that, the other eats from our hands fine, just pecks the food and will nip our fingers when we adjust the cover etc but it doesn't hurt, I think it's to see whether we're food or not, not like Buttercup who seems to want to eat anything that moves near the run!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 I don't think its advisable to feed from your hand as the chickens will get used to it and learn to always peck at your fingers looking for food (I learned the hard way ). Also you want to be able to approach them confidently to pick them up without being frightened of a peck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel19 Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Ours are the same and go for fingers first - apparently they taste nicer!! Also we learnt not to go in their run with flip flops on as toes are also worth a peck or two Also if you are wearing anything shiny e.g. gold jewellery then they will go for that as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arowland17 Posted July 31, 2007 Author Share Posted July 31, 2007 I wanted to get them used to eating from our hands in the hope that they'll be a little tamer!! We just let them free range for the 1st time and after a few painful pecks from Buttercup when trying to open the run she was fine and when we went near her when they were wandering around the garden she didn't go for our hands!! I was wearing flipflops and she did come running over a couple of times looking like my toes would be a tasty meal but by the time I'd run off she'd found something nicer to peck at! We have been ringing a bell everytime we give them corn in the run, and rung it again as we're off out in a bit and Buttercup sprinted back to the run, with Nugget following a bit slower, they got their corn and weren't too put out at having to have the run door shut on them! Went very well overall, was a bit worried about them finding a gap to squeeze into next doors garden but the grass was much more interesting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
