The Poultry Keeper

jessjess · Joined: 28 May 2008 Posts: 218 Location: Derbyshire

Ok as you all know I am new to this so here is another basic question.

I have my four chooks, two bantams around 23 weeks and two growers 8/9 weeks they are all getting on quite well except for the occasional peck and chase from Debbie top hen! However, whilst they seem to know I = food They run away from me and will not eat out my hand. The closest they will come is about 1ft. I have also not picked them up much as this involves chasing them around the pen and I do not want to stress them out. My question is how do I make them more tame? Can you? Is it a slow process of treats or do you just have to keep picking them up until they are used to it? On the occasions I have picked up the birds they calm down quickly and don't seem to mind.

Thanks Jess

JC · Joined: 24 Mar 2008 Posts: 1099 Location: Sussex

It just takes them time. dont chase them, just feed them treats every now and again like corn, bread rice etc and they will soon get tame Smile

jessjess · Joined: 28 May 2008 Posts: 218 Location: Derbyshire

Thats what I thought and has been my attitude up until now glad to know I am doing the right thing.

Teasal · Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 5:35 pm Post subject:

I don't treat mine as pets, so have never really thought about it. But this last batch of battery hens are tame and you can pick them up - in fact they are a nuisense sometimes getting under my feet. I suppose in time they will become tamer, but why exactly do you want them tame ....sorry, its just me, who treats mine as just hens not pets. I can understand it is useful if they are ill or something, but I don't go out of my way to pick them up or stroke them, for one thing they may have lice that I have missed!!

Mine associate me with food, so I think thats a good starter - if they associate you with their food, they will begin to trust you.

jessjess · Joined: 28 May 2008 Posts: 218 Location: Derbyshire

Really I only want them tame to make it easier to check them over etc. Also the local kids want to come in and feed them etc and I thought it would be nice if they didn't run away. They are not pets like the cat but we only have a few and for ease of handling for wing clipping and the like my life would be better if they were tame. I can't help thinking of them a little as pets!

EGirl · Joined: 01 Nov 2007 Posts: 1263 Location: Dublin, Ireland

If you have the time, pick each one up for 5 or 10 mins a day, giving them some food while you do it & talk to them. They soon get it. I have one who is very nervous and though not tame persay, since I started doing this she will crouch down ready to be picked up as soon as I walk over to her. I'm aware this is more about dominance but it works and I can check her when I need to. Having said that I've never been able to tame my Welsummer, she freaks out if I so much as reach for her.

jessjess · Joined: 28 May 2008 Posts: 218 Location: Derbyshire

Cheers Egirl at the moment everytime I walk towards them they run off round the pen maybe I will try it first thing in the morning when they are still in the coop.

Phill · Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Posts: 154 Location: Essex

You need a lot of patcience i was lucky mine where clearly hand reared because they came round to me straight way.

ive had hens before that arn't so tame it can be very frustrating but if you chase and harrass them they will love you less.

My trick would be to enter the area they are in and sit down that way you look less imposing and more inviting have some of their favurite food with you as well but only give it to them when they take it out your hand. Teach them, give them reason to trust you and eventually they will warm up to you.

Id sujest going into their house an hour or two before they go to bed, chickens like to climb as high as possible this way they feel safe, if your in their some of them might use you like a pearch to try and get higher at least whenever I went into the aviary my hens would all ways try to pearch on me if I was close enough. Sitting down and shairing their home and offering food I find are the best ways to win a hen over to you.

JaxMax · Joined: 06 Feb 2008 Posts: 78 Location: Dublin

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7366 Location: isle of lewis

we always tend to use the sit down and sit with a few treats ,we have used the same method with totally wild feral goats rescued from a hill in scotland ,we just sat with a book and food in a bucket putting some on the ground and gradually getting them used to closer and closer
with chickens i've found that they get used to the feed bucket and come running even the runner ducks
strangely my most unfriendly chicken is beep a french wheaten marrans who was broodier reared ,she'll eat out of your hand if you stay still ,but really doesn't like being picked up
and i do wish that my dutch and apperzeller wouldn't land on my head and shoulder Rolling Eyes

they also tend to crouch down and stay still ,when they start laying
this approach seems to work for me ,but might not be for everyone

JaxMax · Joined: 06 Feb 2008 Posts: 78 Location: Dublin

I sit in their run too with a bowlful of seeds which they love. They all come running (apart from Pansy who is a bit wary since I've been having to catch her every day and stick a syringe-full of antibiotics down her throat!) and eat quite happily from my hands. They won't let me pick them up easily though, have to trick 'em for that one! I'm hoping that they'll eventually feel happy enough to sit on my knee without me having to hold them there! Only had them 3 weeks though so plenty of time yet.

Jackie

jessjess · Joined: 28 May 2008 Posts: 218 Location: Derbyshire

I am getting there they are not yet eating out my hand but will eat right next to my feet. Getting there I also had my first egg this afternoon!!! Very Happy

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7366 Location: isle of lewis