Solitary chicken - need advice

[CockADoodleDoo]

hi all ive had my chooks for about a month now and i am having a bit of difficulty taming them and they still seem quite wary of me and never folow me around . has anyone got any tips on taming your chickens.

 

They are also still quite small and thin is there an age when they are more or less fully grown.

 

i am probably just worrying too much but any help would be a great help

[moochoo]

My girls always have their treats in the same bowl. As soon as the see it the come running over and try and sit on you to get the best goodies. I definitely think food is the key.

It does take time I've only had my girls 6 weeks and a couple of them are still wary. I wouldn't worry too much yet.

[Egluntyne]

Once they start laying they become much tamer. It is very easy to pick them up as they will curtsey as you approach.

 

Feed them from your hand if you can....and pick them out of the Eglu and give them a cuddle if you like, after they have gone to roost. They become drowsy and very easy to pick up. It will get them used to being handled.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I've had my girls for 2 weeks and they are getting quite tame (as long as I've got food in my hand!) They still run away if you walk towards them so you have to bribe them with food to be able to pick them up.

 

I agree with the previous posts, feed them from your hand, stroke them whenever you can (while they're eating), pick them up regularly for a cuddle and bring them into the house at bedtime for a short time. You can persuade them to jump onto your lap if you have food on your knees!

 

Good luck - I'm sure they will soon grow to love you

[Hen Watch]

they still seem quite wary of me and never folow me around

 

The fun has only just begun, just give a little time. After only a few months, my lot are so nosey I am sometimes prisoner in my own home...... If they spot me at the kitchen window, all 4 rush over from the other side of the garden and tap on the glass back door. They can hear the door handle being turned and are there before I even open it so I have to step over them to put the washing out. If I'm watching TV in the living room, there they are....4 little faces lined up at the patio door.

 

Once I have made it into the garden, they all follow me around like dogs trying to trip me up. Top tip when hanging out washing on the line.....is don't step back....mine love to stand just behind me out of sight. And when they see the fork....well......I just can't describe the frenzy Henrietta goes into when I'm digging. I've nearly speared her so many times this Summer and she's in there looking for worms before I even turn the soil over.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Cockadoodledoo said:

They are also still quite small and thin is there an age when they are more or less fully grown

 

It's difficult to tell if your hens are small - how old are they? Mine are 19 (Maisie & Milly) and 21 weeks (Molly). Look at my pictures if you like to see if you can compare them to yours. My certainly feel really light when I pick them up but I'd never picked up a hen before so don't know if that's normal or not!

[superjules]

They are also still quite small and thin is there an age when they are more or less fully grown.

 

I'm curious now, I might try weighing my 2 tomorrow! Don't want to give OH any ideas though!!

[Richard]

stick with it - it happens over time. some breeds are tamer than others (my North Holland Blue is very tame and has been willing to eat from my hand almost from the word go). my experience though is that none are massively keen on being handled although, as has already been said, when they are laying they are more easy to pick up.

 

however, if you don't chase them, feed them treats sometimes (especiallly if you do it at the same time each day) they will get much more likely to come to you and follow you around.

 

and talk to them - of course

[Jules.]

Mine are really friendly, Buzz more so than Poppy. It cracks me up when they have a rare chance of freedom in the garden that they follow me around. And the frenzy that occurs when they see their red treat bowl

[parmaviolet]

As Richard says, some are better at being handled than others. June hates being picked up, she likes us when we've got treats in hand, but otherwise steers clear.

 

Emmy used to fly out of my arms or climb up me (sounds strange, I know!) but is a little better since I had to nurse her back to health from a nr death experience. Even so, she's not keen on being handled.

 

Audrey used to like sitting on my lap if you picked her up & Mini was amazing. From about the 3rd week she was with us she liked a cuddle. After a while she took to jumping onto our laps. She used to snuggle into us a PURR...really

 

They're all different little characters, bless. Our two new girls are facinating, they already follow me around everywhere and they've only been here a few days

 

A regular treat bowl is a good idea...we have some small terracotta bowls that ours recognise, They also like the white chopping board...thats where the sliced cabbage comes from

 

Keep at it... if you ever need to take them to the vet, you'll be glad that they tolerate it & that you have the confidence.